Our dental health is something we take with us our entire lives. If our teeth start suffering, the rest of our bodies pay a price.
Fortunately, certain foods have been shown to improve your dental health and help keep your teeth in great condition. Let’s take a look at some of the most beneficial foods for your smile.
Cheese
This delicious dairy delicacy has been shown to help teeth by reducing the pH levels in the mouth. Bacteria thrive in an acidic environment. So by alkalizing the mouth, cheese can help reduce the amount of harmful bacteria eating away at your teeth.
Cheese also contains calcium which is essential for building strong teeth. Certain cheeses – specifically raw cheeses from grass-fed cows – also contain high amounts of vitamin K2 which essentially tells the body where to transport calcium, and keeps it out of your arteries.
But not all cheeses are created equally. As with most foods, the less processed it is, the more nutrients it will contain.
Yogurt
Just as we want our mouths to be alkaline, we also want to get plenty of the “good bugs” to help combat the “bad ones.”
Yogurt is filled with billions of helpful probiotics that nourish the whole body, starting with the mouth. Like cheese, yogurt can also be a great source of calcium.
Leafy Greens
It’s difficult to find a “recommended foods” list that doesn’t suggest leafy greens. That’s because they are SO good for you. Greens help to alkalize the body and are jam-packed with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The calcium and minerals present in dark leafy greens help to keep teeth feeling strong and cavity free.
Often, we feel like “eating more greens” is a daunting task, but we can do it one bite at a time. There are easy ways to add more greens to your diet. One of our favorite ways is to add them to a morning smoothie.
You can also make it a goal to eat one vegetable every day. Start small, form a new (sustainable) habit, and grow from there. But it all starts with that first bite.
Apples, Carrots, and Celery
These foods are filled with both fiber and water: a great combination to produce saliva and to scrub your teeth. When you salivate, it’s like a river washing out the harmful bacteria in your mouth.
And these three are just durable enough to give your teeth a healthy scrub without being abrasive.
Fruits and Veggies with Vitamin C
A lack of vitamin C can often cause sensitive or bleeding gums. The reverse is also true: an abundance of vitamin C helps to maintain healthy gums.
Here are a few foods that all have more vitamin C per cup than oranges:
- Yellow bell peppers
- Kiwi
- Kale
- Guavas
- Broccoli
- Strawberries
You can improve the health of your teeth and gums by adding these food groups into your diet. For more tips on keeping your mouth healthy and fresh check out our other articles on the Dental Blog.
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