Importance of Diet for Good Oral Health: What Foods to Eat for a Healthy Mouth
Do you reach out to those candies every time you open your fridge? Or do you spend your Sunday afternoon at a grocery store scanning shelves for more candies to stock up for the following week? We’ve always heard about the importance of good oral care throughout our school life and even while we’re adulting. Advertisements are doing a great deal in influencing our diet decisions. We frequently give in to temptations, and sugary treats is the first thing we binge on. It’s difficult to resist these temptations because who doesn’t want treats like these after a hard day’s work? However, the constant treats could be doing more damage to your teeth than you can imagine. A regular oral health check-up can be lighter on your wallet and help you in overcoming dental anxiety.
Here are 5 foods that are bad for your mouth and why you should stop eating them:
- Carbohydrates
Starchy foods like carbohydrates team up with bacteria that begin the decay process and eventually destroy the teeth. They linger in your mouth, breaking down into simple sugars that bacteria feed on.
- Sugary and Sticky Foods
Sugary and sticky foods can lead to the accumulation of plaque above your gum line and eventually give rise to gum disease. Consuming sugary drinks, eating a lot of sticky candies and cookies can eventually result in tooth decay.
- Acidic Foods
Acidic foods could be detrimental to your health. The alkaline diet has got everyone talking, from celebrities to health gurus, they all are selling the benefits of cutting acidic foods out of your diet. Acids and toxins, coupled with stress, can create massive inflammation in your body and it makes your body work a lot harder to deal with the effects of the inflammation caused.
- Teeth Staining and Carbonated Drinks
Carbonated drinks are really bad for your teeth and there are some drinks that will erode your tooth enamel and cause tooth stains over time. While you’re getting a gumgasm from having your favorite soda, your tooth enamel is slowly eroding, exposing the protective layer of your teeth. Tonic drinks and fruit juices are no different, if that’s what you’ve stocked up in the fridge. Once your tooth enamel is damaged, you are at a higher risk of developing cavities. Get professional teeth whitening to get rid of stained teeth.
Making small diet changes can go a long way in preventing your teeth from being completely damaged.
Here are 6 Foods You Can Eat For Good Dental Health:
- Calcium Rich Foods
Calcium rich foods that include dairy products like yoghurt, cheese and milk could be a good pick for healthy and strong teeth. Avoid flavored yoghurt and include a cup of plain yoghurt in at least one of your meals every day. Drinking a warm glass of milk everyday will protect your teeth against gum disease.
- Vitamin C and D
Eating foods that are rich in Vitamin C and D will keep problems like bleeding gums and mouth syndrome at bay. Foods rich in Vitamin C like oranges, red peppers and sweet potatoes can act as a powerful antioxidant. Foods such as fish and egg yolks that have Vitamin D help your teeth to better absorb calcium. A deficit of Vitamin D would mean a burning sensation in the mouth or a bitter taste in the mouth.
- Green Tea
Green tea is one of the most sought-after beverages for its benefits. Apart from aiding weight loss, it is also helps in lowering the risk of gum disease.
- Green Leafy Vegetables
Eating your greens boosts the production of red blood cells that can combat gum disease.
- Carrots and Apples
Crunchy fruits and vegetables like carrots and apples are rich in fiber and are great in removing plaque and food stuck on your teeth. More chewing results in a greater saliva production, which is excellent in keeping the bacteria away from the gum line.
- Nuts and Coconut
Nuts have a great amount of fibre, calcium and other vitamins in them. Coconut water rinses out bacteria in the mouth, keeping infections and viruses at bay.
Author Bio:
Dr. Anu Isaac, DMD, runs a successful dental practice in Salem, MA. Dr. Isaac strives for quality on a daily basis and this commitment to quality is reflected in her constant pursuit of advanced training. Her firm belief that even experts need to stay updated about what’s new in the dental field, enables her to provide every patient with optimal oral care. As the founder of Coral Dental Care, she is dedicated to creating healthy, beautiful smiles for her patients and also to educating dental and non-dental community with her engaging articles on all things related to oral health, recent dental innovations, and latest treatment modalities.