The Best Foods for Healthy Teeth
Cleaning your teeth is essential for healthy teeth, but did
you know that the kind of foods you eat can also help — or hinder — your dental
health? Eating foods that are good for your teeth and being cautious about
those that aren’t is key to having a healthy smile.
Foods for healthy teeth
How you eat is also important. In a study from King's
College London Dental Institute, researchers looked at more than 1,000 men and
women between the ages of 18 and 30 for links between diet and tooth erosion.
They found that eating high-acid foods (such as fruits and their juices)
throughout the day can harm a person’s teeth if no effort is made to counteract
the effects.
Foods That Are Good for Your Teeth
Enamel is a tooth’s first defense against decay. If the
enamel on your teeth is eroded or damaged, you’re at higher risk for tooth
sensitivity and cavities. You can help strengthen your tooth enamel by eating
foods high in calcium. Also, adding foods rich in vitamin D to your diet will
allow you to better absorb the calcium that healthy teeth need.
The best choices for healthy teeth are foods with:
Calcium. Low-fat
or fat-free dairy products such as milk, cheese, and plain yogurt are calcium
staples that don’t add unhealthy saturated fat to your diet. Hard cheese in
particular also helps neutralize the acids found in foods that threaten tooth
enamel. Other good sources of calcium are green leafy vegetables like kale, bok
choy, and even Brussels sprouts, which deliver a healthy boost of vitamin C,
too.
Vitamin D. Egg
yolks, mushrooms, and most fish are excellent sources of the vitamin D you need
to absorb calcium, which builds and maintains healthy teeth.
Vitamin C. Red
peppers and sweet potatoes can provide the vitamin C necessary for healthy
gums, which help keep your teeth firmly in place. Citrus fruits like oranges
are also high in vitamin C, but you have to be careful of their acidity.
A healthy crunch.
The crisp texture of crunchy fruits and vegetables can help wipe away
plaque-causing bacteria on your teeth. They can also increase the production of
saliva, which helps neutralize bacteria in your mouth. Apples, pears, celery,
and carrots are all good choices. However, even a healthy food like an apple
can expose teeth to damaging acid when eaten slowly. To reduce the impact of
acid, brush your teeth before eating and drink water or rinse immediately
after.
Bad Foods for Your Teeth
After you eat, plaque — the sticky film of bacteria that
covers your teeth — release acids that break down the enamel on your teeth.
Foods that are high in acid can cause your tooth enamel to erode the most, so
these foods should be eaten in moderation to minimize damage to your teeth.
Foods that aren’t good for your teeth include:
Hard or sticky
candy. When you suck on hard candies, the candy is left in your mouth for a
long time, which means extended exposure to sugar and damaging acid. Sticky
candies are also a problem because the sugar sticks to your teeth.
Carbohydrates.
Foods such as white breads, pastas, and potato chips are processed as sugar
when digested. And food particles from these carbs tend to linger by sticking
in the grooves of teeth, creating a breeding ground for acid.
Soda and fruit
juices. Be especially cautious of sipping them over a lengthy period of time,
which promotes prolonged exposure to sugar and acid.
Too much citrus.
Oranges, kiwis, lemons, and grapefruit are great sources of vitamin C for
healthy gums, but they’re also high in enamel-damaging acid. Enjoy these foods
in moderation to minimize their impact on your teeth.
Hard foods. Peanut
brittle, hard pretzels, and ice may offer a satisfying crunch, but they also
carry the risk of damage to your teeth. Munching on hard food creates extra
pressure and friction that can chip or crack teeth.
Foods that leave
stains. Coffee, tea, and red wine are notorious stain-makers. While tooth
stains aren’t harmful, they can become difficult to remove if these foods are
consumed in excess. Brushing too hard or using harsh products to remove these
stains can damage your teeth and gums.
The Good News on Food and Healthy Teeth
It can be hard to give up a food that you crave, but you
don’t have to stop eating sugary and acidic foods altogether. Domenick T. Zero,
DDS, director of the Oral Health Research Institute, and professor and chairman
of the department of Preventive and Community Dentistry at Indiana University
School of Dentistry, explains that any food can be decay-causing if you don’t
routinely practice good oral hygiene.
If you crave something that contains sugar — including fruit
— here’s what you can do:
Enjoy it in
moderation.
Eat it with other
kinds of foods to help neutralize the acid.
Drink water to
help wash away bacteria and any remaining food particles.
It’s also important to clean your teeth after eating.
However, wait 30 minutes to an hour after you have an acidic food or beverage
because the acid weakens your tooth enamel, making your teeth more susceptible
to damage from brushing. Another option is to chew a piece of sugar-free gum
for 20 minutes to reduce plaque buildup. Following these strategies will help
keep your teeth healthy and smile-ready.
At Annapolis Dental Center we care about your health! If you
have any questions about this or any other dental issues, or would like to make
an appointment for a dental exam call 410-571-5014 or check us out at
Annapolisdentalcenter.com.
Article retrieved from: http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/dental-health-guide/best-foods-for-healthy-teeth.aspx
