You can probably guess some of the best and worst foods for your teeth. What you may not have thought about is that your teeth require certain nutrients to be their best. It’s no surprise that your bones and your teeth need calcium. And since the body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium, Vitamin D is also very important. Other important contributors to healthy teeth are phosphorous, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin A. So eating foods rich in these nutrients will help you maintain healthy teeth.
Anything that breaks down to sugar can be problematic for your teeth. So things like white bread, alcohol, chips, and candy. That is because the sugars cause the bacteria-filled sticky film called plaque, to release acids that attack the tooth’s enamel. When the enamel breaks down, cavities can develop. So of course, brushing and flossing is an important part of your dental health. Here is a summary of the some of best and worst foods for your teeth.
Carbonated Beverages and Sports Drinks
While both of these beverages are bad for you in general, and really bad for your teeth, sports drink have been found to be even worse than carbonated beverages due to a higher level of acidity. The acidity of the drinks allow the plaque to produce even more acid which attacks your tooth enamel. So if you sip on a carbonated beverage for most of the day, or frequently use a sports/energy drinks, you are essentially coating your teeth in acid.
Foods Rich in Calcium and Phosphorous
Since these are the building blocks for your teeth, foods rich in calcium and phosphorous are some of the best foods you can eat. Calcium and/or phosphorous can be found in things like cheeses (hard aged cheeses are best), yogurt, seafood, chia and pumpkin seeds, almonds, and bone broth. All of these should be organic. Grass fed sources for dairy products are best. For seafood, wild caught is best and avoid the known contaminated fish like tilapia, Atlantic cod, Atlantic flounder, Atlantic sole, and Atlantic halibut – to name a few. Bone broth is suggested because it is rich in phosphorous. And of course, it should come from organic grass fed animals.
Citrus Fruits
Oranges, grapefruits, and lemons are tasty as both fruits and juices, and are packed with vitamin C. But their acid content is high, so just like carbonated beverages and sports drinks, they cause the plaque to release acid that attacks tooth enamel. Even squeezing a lemon or lime into water adds acid to a drink. Plus, acid from citrus can be bothersome to mouth sores. If you don’t want to give them up, drink them quickly so your teeth are exposed to the acid for a shorter amount of time. And then rinse your mouth with water afterward.
Firm Crunchy Foods
Chewing produces more saliva, which is the best natural neutralizer of the bacteria that causes cavities. Celery is a great example because it forces you to chew more to eat it, in turn producing more saliva. Apples, cucumbers, and carrots are other great examples. The texture of these foods also makes them naturally abrasive, so they gently scrub and clean teeth surfaces, removing plaque and food particles. Don’t forget to make them organic raw fruits and vegetables though. Your entire body will benefit from these foods!
Dried Fruits
Dried fruit, even those without added sugars, usually contain a high amount of sugar. That’s bad because the harmful bacteria in our mouths feed on sugar. In addition, dried fruits often get stuck in your teeth, feeding even more harmful bacteria. If you do have same dried fruit, at least rinse your mouth with water. And if you can, brush and floss your teeth afterwards. Think fresh fruit instead because they’re less concentrated with sugar.
So there’s my round-up of the best and worst foods for your teeth.
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