Healthy Eating Habits for Strong and Healthy Teeth

Diet plays a vital role in preventing tooth decay and maintaining good oral health and healthy eating habits. Once you eat or drink certain foods, your mouth begins to change. The sugar and carbohydrates in the foods you eat and drink are converted to acid by the bacteria in your mouth.

Acid is the enemy of tooth enamel, the hard outer surface that prevents cavities. The more you eat and snack, the more your teeth are exposed to the decay cycle.

Lots of sugar feeds the bacteria in your mouth. They build up on your teeth as plaque, causing an inflammatory reaction that can lead to the breakdown of gums, bones, and other tooth-supporting structures.

Strong teeth and healthy gums also depend on a variety of nutrients (calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin C) provided by food. You should eat a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, protein, calcium-rich foods, and whole grains.

Your Oral Health Is What You Eat

Good nutrition and healthy teeth start with assessing what comes into contact with your tooth enamel each day. Every food you eat and/or drink affects the makeup of your teeth. Food choices constantly affect the health of your teeth and gums.

Many foods in the typical American diet — from sugary and processed foods and drinks to high-acid foods — can erode tooth enamel, leading to tooth decay. Focusing on good nutrition and healthy dental goals is essential to actively eating healthy foods that support good oral health.

The eating habits and food choices of children and adolescents are important factors in the rate at which they develop tooth decay. When bacteria come into contact with food in your mouth, they produce acids that eat away at your teeth. This can eventually lead to tooth decay, especially if you don’t floss and brush your teeth regularly.

Food choice plays an important role when it comes to tooth decay. Some foods can damage your teeth, while others contain essential nutrients that keep your teeth healthy and strong. If you want to follow a healthy and healthy diet for your teeth, try to stick to a structured food pyramid to give you healthy portions of all essential food groups. To support your goals for good nutrition and healthy teeth, visit the Center for Nutrition Policy and Advancement’s website, Choose MyPlate.gov, to learn more about which foods are best for you.

Here are some good oral health foods that contain essential nutrients to keep teeth healthy and strong:

Whole Grains

They provide vitamins and iron to help maintain healthy gums. Whole grains also contain magnesium, an important component of bones and teeth. Plus, whole grains are high in fibre. Look for foods like bran, brown rice, whole grain cereals, and pasta as good sources of whole grains.

Foods High in Calcium

According to the American Dental Association, eating foods high in calcium and phosphorus, such as meat, eggs, and fish, can help keep tooth enamel strong and healthy and reduce the risk of developing upper gum disease. Calcium is an excellent ingredient for preventing tooth decay, especially in growing children. Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese are good sources of calcium. Other options include green leafy vegetables, canned fish, almonds, Brazil nuts, and dried beans. Studies have shown that cheese can neutralize the acid in plaque, and drinking a glass of milk can reduce the levels of acid produced by plaque bacteria in the mouth.

Fruits, Fiber, and Vegetables

Eating fibre-rich foods keeps saliva flowing, which helps build a mineral defense system to prevent tooth decay. Good sources of fiber are dried fruits like dates, raisins, and figs, and fresh fruits like bananas, apples, and oranges. Other options include vegetables such as beans, Brussels sprouts, and peas, as well as peanuts, almonds, and bran. Eating foods like carrots, apples, and cucumbers requires a lot of chewing, and all that chewing is good for your teeth. Chewing these vegetables is a cleaning mechanism by which harmful bacteria are swept away rather than lodged in the teeth.

If you’re interested in learning more about how your diet can impact your dental health, be sure to check out our recent blog post on “Foods that worsen your Dental Health”

Protein

Protein is essential for growth and is vital for strong teeth. Sources of protein include lean beef, skinless poultry and fish, dried beans, peas, and other legumes.

Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are an important part of an anti-inflammatory diet for oral health. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends choosing heart-healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, and fatty fish like salmon, which together promote oral health.

Drink More Water

If you’re thirsty, have a glass of water.

Fluoridated tap water is the best drink to protect your teeth and has many other health-related benefits. Bottled water is better than sugary drinks, but most bottled water doesn’t contain fluoride, so just take it out of the tap. Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay by making teeth more resistant to acid attacks from plaque bacteria and sugars in the mouth. It can also reverse early decay.

Sugar-Free Gum

Between meals, chew a stick of sugar-free gum.

It stimulates saliva and cleans teeth while freshening breath. Saliva contains important elements such as bicarbonate, calcium, and phosphate, which not only neutralize plaque acids but also help repair early tooth damage and cavities.

Book an appointment for all your dental care needs at Dant Suraksha Dental Care and make your smile shine bright.