Eat Healthy For Healthy Teeth !

The food we eat can have a big impact on the health of our teeth. Just as certain foods can have a very bad impact on your teeth, others can actually be beneficial. By making small changes in your diet you could help to protect your teeth from disease and decay that could be very painful, costly and even embarrassing.

Starting with the foods that are not so good for your teeth, as you might imagine they are the fairly obvious ones. Anything with lots of sugar can cause damage to teeth as the presence of sugar in the mouth accelerates decay. Other foods such as crisps, which are high in salt, can also be damaging for the teeth. Basically, the simple rule to follow is that if it’s not good for your body, it’s probably not very good for your teeth.

Other foods and drinks can also have other negative consequences for the teeth. Red wine, tea and coffee can all cause tooth enamel to stain, which is irreversible. In fact all dark liquids can cause the teeth to stain. Other drinks such as fruit juices and squash can also be very bad for the teeth because of a high sugar content. The best thing you can drink for your dental health is water, as this cleans the mouth and washes plaque and food stuff away from the teeth. Drinking water after eating food bad for your teeth can also limit the impact it can have. Closely behind water is milk, which can also be very good for your teeth because of the calcium it contains, although most dentists would always recommend water.

Eating healthy food like fruit and vegetables is best for your teeth. They contain vitamins and minerals which benefit your teeth and bones and are less likely to be the cause of decay. Although it must be stated that after eating any food it is always a good idea to drink water or even brush your teeth as food particles get stuck between your teeth and begin to decay. This is a breeding ground for plaque and bacteria which can then further damage the teeth. Ask your dentist for more information about healthy eating for your teeth at your next appointment.

Healthy Diet For Teeth And Gums

A healthy diet gives you a healthy body and a sound mind. Intake of nutritious food is of utmost importance to maintain the normal health of your teeth and gums. Like the rest of our body, our oral system also requires a healthy dose of minerals and vitamins to function normally. Children especially need to take the right foods to ensure proper tooth development.

All dentists stress on the need of a healthy diet to maintain good oral health. For this, your daily foods should contain;

• Calcium – This is the single most important mineral for your teeth. Calcium in combination with phosphorous and vitamin D forms the backbone of your teeth and bones. Foodstuffs rich in calcium include yoghurt, milk, cheese and eggnog.
• Phosphorous – This is another important mineral that is present in egg, beef, chicken and turkey.
• Vitamin A – This is required for the development of healthy tooth enamel. Most vegetables like pumpkin, carrots, spinach, broccoli, sweet potato and fruits like mango are rich in this vitamin.
• Vitamin C – All citrus fruits, strawberries and tomatoes will give you a healthy dose of vitamin C which is required for healthy gums.
• Vitamin D – Include fish like mackerel, tuna, salmon and trout in your diet to get this vitamin.
• Fluoride – This mineral in the right amounts is highly beneficial in preventing dental caries and tooth decay, especially in the growing years. In adults, it plays an important role in restoring tooth enamel by remineralisation.

In addition to these, food stuffs that are good for your oral health include celery which stimulates the production of saliva thereby neutralizing the oral bacteria. Consumption of green tea is also beneficial in getting rid of cavity causing bacteria. The best way to protect against starchy foods is to drink plenty of water, brush your teeth twice a day and floss, which will limit the impact of starch and plaque. Try to avoid food that is unnecessarily sugary such as soft drinks and opt for sucrose substitutes in your diet and drinks