In conjunction with your daily oral hygiene routine and biannual dental checkups, your diet plays a critical role in determining the strength and health of your teeth. Read on for dietary tips that will help you build strong teeth and promote excellent dental health!
Water Wisdom
First and foremost, make sure to drink plenty of water all day, every day. Water helps protect your oral health and is necessary for your body to function properly! Saliva is your body’s natural way of helping to keep your mouth clean and cavity-free. This means that if you’re dehydrated, your mouth will produce less saliva. Reduced saliva allows food particles, beverage particles, and bacteria to stick to your teeth and begin causing decay. If you’re only drinking acidic or sugary beverages throughout the day instead of water (such as soda, coffee, alcohol, energy drinks, fruit juice, and sports drinks), try switching it up with some classic H20. If you do indulge in a sugary or acidic beverage, be sure to also drink water to help limits the beverage’s damaging effects on your teeth.
Tooth-Healthy Foods
Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
Crunchy fruits and veggies also help maintain clean and strong teeth. Chewing more means more saliva, which means more natural cleaning. However, dried fruit can stick to your teeth, giving your oral bacteria a tasty snack, so focus on fresh fruit since its crunchiness and water content better cleans your teeth and has a lower concentration of sugar. Vitamin C found in several fruits and vegetables also helps reduce bacteria in the mouth. Here are some delicious fruits and vegetables we recommend regularly incorporating into your snack and meals:
- Apples
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Bell Peppers
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cucumbers
- Kale
- Kiwi
- Melons
- Pears
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Sweet Potatoes
- Watermelon
Calcium & Vitamin D
No matter what your age, kids and adults alike should be including teeth-strengthening foods into their daily diet. Even simply devoting one meal a day that is rich in calcium and vitamin D can make a positive difference in your overall dental health. Foods high in calcium and vitamin D that make for strong teeth include:
- Eggs (Vitamin D rich)
- Almonds (Rich in calcium and contain fiber, magnesium, vitamin E, protein, and healthy fats)
- Milks (Stick to dairy and fortified soy, almond, or rice milk that is low sugar/non-flavored)
- Cheese (Aged cheeses stimulate even more saliva)
- Yogurt (Avoid kinds with a bunch of added sugar)
- Fish, like salmon and tuna (Vitamin D rich)
- Fortified cereal (Choose kinds that are high in whole grains and low in added sugar)
Extra Boosts
If you’re struggling eating a healthy diet every day, consider taking a multivitamin that contains calcium and vitamin D. Moreover, chew sugar-free gum after eating to stimulate saliva production and to help wash away food particles. Try to find an option that contains xylitol, an ingredient in many sugar-free gums that has been found to help prevent tooth decay.
Power of Preventive Oral Care
Furthermore, be sure to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time, floss at least once a day, and schedule your dental cleaning and checkup every six months at Arizona Biltmore Dentistry. At your appointment, we can give you additional cavity-prevention and teeth-strengthening tips. Contact us today!