When it comes to keeping your teeth healthy you?re probably already aware of the obvious things a dentist would tell you, right? Things like brushing your teeth at least two times per day, making sure that you floss after your meals, and things like that. Sounds pretty familiar, right?
However, there are some other things that you can do (or not do) to make sure that you?re keeping your teeth and your gums as healthy as possible. I?ve talked before about how keeping your teeth and gums healthy is more than just making sure that you?re brushing regularly. So, it would make sense that today I?m talking about food and how they can affect your teeth and oral health as well.
I’ve created a list of 6 food that are surprisingly good for your teeth. ?They are good for your overall health as well, which is always a plus!
1. Yogurt: I?m not a big fan of dairy, however, you can?t deny the benefits that it can have on helping you to increase the health of your teeth. Dairy, especially Greek yogurt, which is my favorite snack to have when I?m short on time, is loaded with probiotics. These probiotics can help to improve your overall oral health, bad breath, and fights against cavities. In addition to this triple threat, they?re also rich in calcium which can help to keep your teeth strong and firmly planted in your jaw bone.
2. Leafy Greens: I?m sure that you were told to eat your fair share of greens as a child growing up and for good reason. They?re good for your body and your teeth as well. Leafy greens could include kale, spinach, collard greens, and mustard greens for example. Leafy greens are filled with vitamins and minerals that help your teeth stay strong. They?re also high in calcium which can help strenghten your enamel.
3. Strawberries: These are one of my favorite fruits and not just because they taste really good, but because they?re good for you and your teeth in so many ways. Strawberries are loaded with vitamin C which means that they help you to fight periodontal disease and reduce inflammation in your gums. They also have antioxidants in them which will help your gums fight bacteria that could cause inflammation which could lead to gum disease if not taken care of. An added bonus is that strawberries help to whiten your teeth too with the malic acid that they contain.
4. Apples: While you want to do your best to make sure that you?re not eating too many fruits because they contain sugar and create an acidic environment in your mouth (which can lead to decay), you don?t want to count them out completely. Fruits, like apples, are high in the amount of fiber and water that they contain. And, this means that when you?re eating them, you produce more saliva in your mouth, which helps get flush out plaque and bacteria that could harm your teeth. ?I like to eat my apples with the skin, because the skin is the area that contains most of the fiber! PS. I eat an apple every day… and I make sure to cut it up into pieces so that I don’t break any teeth!
5. Carrots: Carrots are much like apples and are filled with a high level of fiber that helps to strengthen your teeth when you eat them. The saliva production that carrots help to produce in your mouth can help you to fight bacteria that could get into your gums and cause gum disease. They also reduce the risk of cavities. Carrots also have a great source of vitamin A that can help to keep your teeth and body strong.
6. Almonds: Almonds are a great source of calcium and protein which can help to strengthen your teeth while not having too much sugar in them. They are great as a snack or simply as an addition to one of your meals. You can have a cup of almonds as a snack or put some on a salad as a topping, whichever one works best for you. ?I like to cut my apples and put them in a bag with about 10-15 almonds. ?The juice from the apple makes the almonds taste SO good! You should try it, and let me know what you think. ?PS. ?I always make sure my almonds are natural and unsalted!
I hope that this list has given you a few things to think about when you?re doing your weekly grocery shopping and adding things to your list. Give a few of these a try each week and do your part in helping to keep your teeth strong, your gums taken care of, ?and your overall and oral health as good as it can be.
