In part 1 of this 3 part series, you learned the importance of a good dental health diet partnered with a daily personal dental hygiene program. We learned what foods can do tremendous harm to our teeth; now let’s learn what foods can become our partners in fighting tooth problems.
We know that bacteria produce tooth decaying acids as they feast in our mouths on the remnants of foods rich in sugars and carbohydrates. The good news is that there are foods that can prevent bacteria from making acids. These same foods may also be rich in calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorous, which create our bone system and keep our teeth strong. They also may contain other vitamins and minerals essential for a healthy mouth and smile.
The 14 best foods for teeth:
1. Milk and unsweetened yogurt: Both foods are low in acidity, which leads to less dental erosion. In addition, they are low in sugar and are an excellent source of calcium, a mineral necessary for the formation of bone tissue.
2. Unsweetened Green Tea: This drink contains polyphenols, antioxidant plant compounds, that prevent plaque from adhering to your teeth, and, therefore, reduce your chances of developing cavities and gum disease. Tea also has a potential for reducing bad breath because it inhibits the growth of the bacteria that cause the odor. Many green teas also contain fluoride, which helps protect against tooth decay and promotes healthy teeth.
3. Cheese: This dairy product is low in carbohydrates and high in calcium and phosphate content that provides important benefits for your healthy teeth. It helps balance your mouth’s pH, preserves and rebuilds tooth enamel, helping to weaken the possibility of tooth staining, produces saliva, and kills the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.
4. Fruits: Fruits such as apples, strawberries, citrus fruits, and especially kiwis contain a lot of vitamin C. This vitamin is considered the cement that holds all of your cells together and is very important to the health of your gum tissue. Lacking vitamin C can lead to periodontal or gum disease.
5. Apples: This fruit has been called nature’s toothbrush because it stimulates the gums, increases saliva flow, and reduces the build-up of cavity-causing bacteria.
6. Vegetables: Pumpkins, carrots, sweet potato, and broccoli are full of vitamin A. This vitamin is absolutely necessary for the formation of tooth enamel. Crunchy vegetables also cleanse and stimulate gums to make them healthy.
7. Onions and Shiitake Mushrooms: Onions contain powerful antibacterial sulfur compounds. Tests show that this vegetable kills various types of bacteria. Researchers indicate that onions are strongest when eaten freshly peeled and raw. Shiitake Mushrooms work in the same way. They may not kill the bacteria, but the mushrooms keep the bacteria from making the plaque that can lead to tooth decay.
8. Celery: This vegetable, which requires extra chewing, promotes saliva production, which in turn neutralizes bacteria. Additionally, celery massages gums and cleans between teeth, keeping them healthy and clean.
9. Broccoli: This veggie is a terrific nondairy source of calcium. It also has vitamin C, which protects against gingivitis, a gum disease.
10. Bell Peppers: All colors of bell peppers are packed with vitamin C. They stimulate your teeth, massage your gums, and help dislodge debris before bacteria can take hold.
11. Sesame seeds: These seeds are high in calcium, which helps preserve the bone around the teeth and the gums.
12. Meat and eggs: Beef, chicken, turkey, and eggs all contain the mineral phosphorous, necessary for bone growth.
13. Wild salmon: This healthy fish is one of the few foods naturally rich in vitamin D, responsible for the absorption of calcium into the body.
14. Water: The best beverage for a healthy smile and body cleanses the mouth in a pure form. It also allows the mouth’s saliva to work wonders depositing essential minerals back into weakened teeth. Drinking water keeps gums hydrated and helps wash away trapped food particles that can decompose in the mouth and cause bad breath.
What about any natural foods that might help to lessen tooth staining? Apples help keep teeth not only healthy but white. The acid in the apple helps remove stains.
A naturally abrasive food, sesame seeds, sloughs off plaque and helps build enamel leading to less tooth staining.
Some authorities have even suggested brushing teeth with strawberries every other day or rubbing the back of an orange rind against teeth to help with stain removal.
An excellent way to stop tooth discoloration is to avoid coffee, wine, alcohol, soft drinks, juices, and smoking, as discussed in my last series’ article. Then again, there always are fluoride toothpastes, highly recommended by dentists, for our use.
“Besides proper diet, please practice dental hygiene and brushing with flossing,” my dentist said. “They must be done after every eating. The electric toothbrush takes the mechanics away from us. Few seniors do well [brushing and flossing] without it.
“A regular toothbrush [if not used properly] can wear away enamel on teeth, causing gum tissue to recede,” he added. “This newly exposed gum surface is softer than enamel and erodes away easily, leading to further problems.”
Part 3: (next edition): An overview and final statement on “maintaining a healthy smile here at Sun City!”
