You are what you eat, at least when it comes to the condition of your teeth. To prevent tooth decay, avoid eating sweets and drinking carbonated drinks. Maintaining good dental health is as simple as eating right. Teeth and gums are directly affected by what you eat. Cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss can all be symptoms of a lack of proper nutrition. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and low birth weight babies are only a few of the conditions linked by doctors to dental illnesses. This healthy food list might help you improve your diet and overall oral health.
One should be worried about the Health of the mouth and have to limit the number of dental visits they have to make while the COVID-19 epidemic is in effect. Improving your dental health can be as simple as paying attention to what you put in your mouth and what you leave out. Many health experts advise avoiding high-sugar, high-processed food, and high-acid diets. Try consuming high-content foods which consist of fiber and get your body the following essential minerals for healthy teeth and gums. They include
- Calcium,
- Phosphorus, and
- Magnesium.
People are curious about how skipping regular dental checkups in the midst of a pandemic would affect our risk of developing cavities, and gum diseases. However, the best way to protect your teeth and gums against the coronavirus epidemic is to make dietary changes. Unfortunately, a diet heavy in junk food is not the healthiest choice to maintain oral health. Here we’ll take a look at six foods that will actively encourage oral health.
Apples
While it’s generally advised by medical professionals that you avoid sugary foods, there are a few notable exceptions. Apples, for example, are tasty, but they also contain a lot of water and fiber. When you eat an apple, your salivary glands release water and wash the inside of your mouth clean of germs and debris. The fruit’s high fiber content also benefits gums. While eating an apple won’t give you the same results as using fluoride toothpaste, it will help keep your teeth healthy and white until you can brush.
It’s true that the (American Dental Association) ADA suggests you stay away from sugary meals in general, but there are a few notable exceptions. Despite their sugary taste, fruits like apples are actually a good source of fiber and water. The saliva produced during the act of eating an apple helps to wash the mouth clean of any leftover food or bacteria. The fruit’s fibrous structure also helps the gums. While eating an apple won’t give you the same results as brushing with fluoride toothpaste, it will help keep your teeth healthy and white until you can get to the dentist. Bring an apple, whole or sliced, to lunch to help clean your teeth after eating.
Green leafy vegetables
Any healthy eating plan typically includes leafy greens. They are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals. Leafy greens like kale and spinach are also good for your teeth. They include a lot of calcium, which helps make enamel for your teeth. Greens are advantageous prebiotics that healthy oral microorganisms in the mouth consume. Contrary to diets high in carbohydrates, leafy greens encourage the production of more nitrite-reducing bacteria in the mouth. Nitric oxide levels rise, which benefits your cardiovascular system and tongue.
Leafy greens actively support a healthier oral microbiome in addition to making your teeth feel cleaner. The greatest leafy greens for teeth are those that are darker in color because they contain more minerals that teeth can absorb during remineralization to enhance their structure. Following are examples of these
- Kale
- spinach,
- turnip greens,
- Swiss chard, and
- Arugula.
Fish with fat
Due to its high vitamin D content, fatty fish is a staple of many eating plans. This food is important for many bodily functions, but its ability to lessen the likelihood of tooth decay is a less well-known perk. Enamel is fortified from the inside out by the combination of vitamin D, vitamin A, and vitamin K2. Enamel can be damaged by a lack of any of these nutrients. A good source of omega-3s is oily seafood. Nearly half of American adults suffer from gum disease, however, this can be prevented and its symptoms lessened with the help of omega-3 fats. So, if you see persistent bleeding when brushing or flossing your teeth, consuming more omega-3 foods may help.
Following are the fish that are high in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. They are
- Tuna,
- Mackerel,
- Salmon, and
- Trout.
Mandarins and grapefruits
Even though acidic foods like oranges and grapefruits can erode tooth enamel when consumed in excess, these fruits are really good for your teeth when taken in moderation.
Vitamin C is found in abundance in both these fruits, and these fruits help to fortify the oral cavity’s blood vessels and connective tissues. This helps prevent gum inflammation from worsening into full-blown gum disease. Vitamin C levels and gum bleeding were both significantly reduced in a 2005 study of those who ate grapefruit every day for just two weeks. Grapefruit consumption has been shown to raise plasma amounts of vitamin C and reduce sulcus bleeding scores. Further research is needed over a longer time period to ascertain whether or whether other periodontal outcomes, particularly among smokers, also improve with such supplementation.
Kiwis
Vitamin C, which is essential for the health of your gum tissue, can be found in most fruits; however, kiwis have the largest concentration. Gums that are depleted of vitamin C are more likely to become inflamed and bleeding due to a breakdown in collagen, making them more susceptible to the bacteria that cause periodontal disease. In spite of appearances, kiwis are classified as berries, not citrus. Calcium, the “dental super mineral,” is abundant in kiwis, and so is fiber. Calcium helps strengthen enamel by neutralizing acids that erode it. The enamel on your teeth is the toughest component in the body and acts as a barrier against decay.
Raw milk produced only from grass-fed cows
Vitamin K2, which is essential for strong teeth, can be found in abundance in grass-fed dairy products like cheese and butter. Vitamin K2 deficiency is extremely rare, but it’s likely that the vast majority of people on Earth lack this essential nutrient. Humans lack the necessary enzyme to convert vitamin K1 to K2 in the digestive tract, whereas all other mammals can do so efficiently. Never discount the value of grass-fed either. Animals that subsist on grain and corn are unlikely to produce a product high in vitamin K2 since the enzyme other mammals have is triggered by chlorophyll.
Following are the foods that are high in K2 and beneficial to tooth health. They include
- Natto,
- beef,
- goose liver pâté,
- eggs, and
- chicken liver
In addition, the above foods are rich in phosphorus, which is an essential vitamin for healthy teeth.
Which foods should be avoided so that one can have good teeth?
They claim that you are the sum of your eating habits. And there is no better place than your mouth to see that on display for you. Because plaque accumulation, which can have major health repercussions on your teeth, can be caused by consuming a wide variety of foods and beverages, this is why. The sticky film known as plaque is packed with germs and is a contributing factor in gum disease as well as tooth decay. When you have a meal or snack that is high in sugar, the bacteria in your mouth are stimulated to produce acids that are harmful to your tooth enamel. Cavities have the potential to form whenever the enamel becomes damaged. Complications brought on by cavities include pain, difficulty biting, and abscesses on the teeth. If you do not brush or floss your teeth on a regular basis, the plaque that forms on your teeth will eventually harden into tartar. Gingivitis is an early stage of gum disease that can be caused by tartar that forms above the gums.
How can you stop plaque from causing havoc in your mouth and prevent it from becoming a problem? In addition to brushing your teeth at least twice daily, flossing, and going to the dentist on a regular basis, it is important to avoid or restrict eating the foods listed below as much as possible.
Sour sweets
Common sense tells you that confectionery is bad for your teeth and gums. However, the acidity of sour candies is much higher and more varied, making them more damaging to teeth. Furthermore, their chewiness makes them more prone to induce decay by sticking to your teeth for an extended period of time. Grab a square of chocolate to satisfy your sweet tooth; the taste will subside fast and can be easily washed away.
Alcohol
Many people probably already know that alcohol isn’t great for your health. However, you should be aware that drinking causes your mouth to dry out. Lack of saliva, which is necessary for maintaining healthy teeth, is a common symptom of dry mouth. The saliva in your mouth washes away food debris and keeps your teeth clean, preventing any food from getting stuck between your teeth. It’s so effective, in fact, that it can reverse some of the earliest effects of tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral illnesses. In addition to drinking lots of water, using fluoride rinses and oral hydration treatments can help you maintain a healthy mouth environment by removing harmful bacteria and reducing inflammation.
Beverages with carbonation
Most people probably already know that drinking soda or pop, especially if it’s labeled as a “diet,” isn’t doing them any favors. Carbonated soda can cause as much harm to your teeth as methamphetamine and crack cocaine, according to an older study. Consuming carbonated drinks increases plaque acid production, which in turn erodes tooth enamel. Soda is acidic, so drinking it continuously throughout the day is like painting your teeth with it. To add insult to injury, it reduces the amount of saliva in your mouth.
Toasted potato snacks
Many of us might enjoy the delightful crunch of a potato chip. However, there is a great deal of starch in the chips. Because of its rapid conversion to sugar, starch is a major source of nourishment for the bacteria that make up dental plaque. It’s hard to simply have one, so the chips’ acidity stays with you for a while. If food remains stuck in your teeth after eating, flossing will help.
Ice
Since ice consists entirely of water, it must be safe to chew, right? The American Dental Association says otherwise. It’s possible to chip, crack, or break teeth, or even loosen crowns if you chew on anything hard enough. You shouldn’t chew on your ice, but it’s fine to use it to cool drinks. Choose cooled water or drinks without ice to curb your desire.
The Bottom Line
To maintain good health, you should stay away from foods that have been processed with chemicals such as
- Artificial preservatives,
- Artificial sweeteners,
- Food coloring,
- High fructose corn syrup,
- Refined sugar,
- Refined flour, and
- Hydrogenated oils.
The above chemicals can make the body more acidic, which in turn promotes the growth of bacteria and inflammation.
You should give some consideration to what you put in your mouth if you want to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Sirisha B