Emma Kalman
Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth and Gums
Healthy teeth and gums are essential for everyone. The foods and drinks you consume can affect the condition of your oral cavity and that’s why you need to pay sufficient attention to your diet. If your teeth and gums are damaged, it can impact your digestion and worsen your well-being in general.
If you want to keep your teeth and gums healthy, you need to follow a healthy diet, maintain proper oral hygiene, and visit the leading dentist on a regular basis. In this article, we have gathered the top 10 best and worst foods for your teeth and gums.
There are a lot of foods that have a direct impact on the condition of your teeth and gums. It is essential to include them in your diet or increase your consumption of them. The most beneficial foods for your teeth are:
Hard cheese, plain yogurt, and milk are a perfect source of calcium that helps keep your teeth and bones strong and healthy. Hard cheese can improve the pH in your oral cavity, especially after eating acidic foods and drinks.
That’s why it is beneficial to have a few pieces of cheese while drinking wine. Additionally, cheese can remove stains from your teeth after wine.
Nuts and seeds contain a lot of vitamins and nutrients that are essential for your health. You can have nuts as a snack or eat them when you want. You should also know that nuts can help get rid of stains from the surface of your teeth because of their hard texture. They act like mild abrasive particles and remove plaque and stains from your teeth.
Even though an apple a day doesn’t always keep a doctor away, it can still help you keep your teeth and gums healthy. The reality is that apples help remove dental plaque and food particles from your teeth.
Apples can also help improve blood circulation in your gums since they “massage” your gums. Additionally, apples are rich in various vitamins and minerals that are extremely important for your overall health. That’s why it is better to include apples into your diet.
Crunchy vegetables and leafy greens are a great source of various vitamins and nutrients. They can help prevent the development of gum disease and many other oral conditions. Crunchy vegetables can also clean your teeth and improve blood circulation in your gums.
Fatty fish is an important component of a healthy diet since it is rich in vitamin D that has the ability to reduce the risk of tooth decay. Vitamin D combines with vitamins A and K2 to deliver calcium to the teeth. This helps strengthen the tooth enamel from the inside. A deficiency in any of these vitamins can lead to the weakening of the enamel.
You should also know that fatty fish contains omega-3s fatty acids. These acids help keep your gums healthy and prevent the development of periodontitis (gum disease). That's why it is better to increase your omega-3 intake to reduce inflammation and bleeding.
If you want to keep your teeth and gums healthy, it is important to avoid many foods and drinks. Some of them can lead to tooth decay while others can cause decreased salivation. That's why you should decrease the consumption of the following foods and drinks.
Candy contains a lot of sugar that negatively impacts your oral health. Sugar creates a perfect environment for bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.
The reality is that bacteria in your oral cavity produce acids that wear out your tooth enamel. This can result in cavities and increased tooth sensitivity. Additionally, hard candy can injure your gums and even lead to tooth fracture.
Even though fruits are considered a healthy food, dried fruits usually contain a lot of sugar. In addition to this, such fruits are usually sticky and can linger between your teeth. This can result in tooth decay and other unpleasant consequences. Try to consume more fresh fruits instead of dried.
Soda is extremely harmful to your teeth and gums. The reality is that soda contains a lot of sugar that remains in your oral cavity. This leads to bacteria overgrowth.
You should also know that many kinds of soda also contain acids. These acids in combination with sugar can significantly affect your oral health. That's why it is better to drink tea or sparkling water instead of sweet soda.
In addition to the fact that cookies and crackers contain sugar, they tend to get stuck between your teeth. If you leave these foods in your teeth for a long period of time, they will lead to increased bacteria growth. If you want to have a snack, it is better to choose hard cheese, nuts, or fresh fruits.
People with an alcohol disorder tend to have more plaque on their teeth and are three times more likely to lose their teeth. Alcoholic beverages that contain pigments and acids can also stain teeth because acids soften tooth enamel and pigments can easily remain on your teeth.
You should also be aware that beverages with high alcohol content (like spirits) can cause dehydration and dry out your mouth as well. Saliva keeps teeth moist and helps remove plaque and bacteria from the surface of the teeth. That's why it is essential to stay hydrated while drinking alcohol.
It is essential to understand that a healthy diet can not only keep your teeth and gums strong and healthy but also helps improve your health in general. A lack of vitamins and minerals can affect your whole body. That’s why you need to increase the consumption of healthy foods and try to avoid junk food.
