Good dietary choices can help keep your teeth in excellent condition throughout your lifetime. These 10 foods have the power to help you improve and maintain your oral health.
With so much focus on avoiding foods that could potentially harm your teeth, discussions about beneficial dietary choices often fall to the wayside. Vitamins and minerals in the food you eat can help improve the overall health of your teeth over the course of your lifetime. Knowing what to eat for healthy teeth improves your chances of avoiding tooth decay, cavities, and breakage through the years. Here are 10 smart foods you can integrate into your diet to keep your teeth healthy, strong, and beautiful.
- Yogurt
With just one container of unsweetened Greek yogurt, you supply your body with 187 milligrams of calcium and beneficial bacterial colonies. Calcium acts as the building blocks of your bones to keep your jawbone and tooth enamel strong. The beneficial bacteria and low sugar content in the yogurt help eliminate harmful bacteria and keep harmful cavity-causing acidic waste to a minimum.
- Salmon
Regular consumption of salmon provides your body with essential omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids also help eliminate harmful bacteria in your mouth and actively prevent the development of gum disease. Studies show that people who keep their fatty acid levels the highest have a 22% lower chance of developing gum disease than those with the lowest intake rates.
- Eggs
Each egg you eat provides your body with six grams of dietary protein and protects against oral infection. This protein can promote rapid healing immediately after any damage occurs, which prevents the formation of abscesses beneath the gum line. If the wounded tissue did develop an abscess, it would likely be necessary to perform a root canal or remove the affected teeth to cure the infection.
- Apples
The fibrous texture of apples helps to manually remove plaque and disrupt bacteria on the surface of your teeth. The fibers can also remove lingering food particles left between your teeth from prior meals. Although apples contain sugar, the non-sticky texture is not likely to remain in the crevices of your teeth and contribute to cavity development, especially if you are brushing and flossing twice a day.
- Broccoli
Broccoli is equally as fibrous as apples, but without the added sugar. A single serving of broccoli provides 220% of your recommended daily vitamin C intake without subjecting your teeth to acids from citrus fruits. This important vitamin supports gum health, combats cavities, and helps your body absorb other essential vitamins and minerals.
- Spinach
Although spinach does not contain much fiber, it does provide your body with a boost of zinc. With each cup of spinach you consume, you receive 12% of the zinc your teeth require while rebuilding the enamel layer. Zinc also helps support the health of your jawbone to prevent tooth loss as you age.
- Blackberries
A handful or two of blackberries each day gives your body a boost of vitamin C, magnesium, calcium and antioxidants. These nutrients work together to keep your teeth from developing deep cavities that reach the inner pulp and root. The high fiber content of blackberries also helps offset its sugar levels and remove thin layers of plaque on your teeth.
- Almonds
Protein, potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium are all found in high amounts within a single serving of almonds. This effective blend of nutrients helps prevent erosion of dental enamel and improve the health of your gums. Although almonds taste sweet, they actually have very little sugar.
- Flaxseed
A 100 gram serving of flaxseeds boost the levels of iron, calcium, and magnesium in your body. Iron helps prevent anemia, which can take a serious toll on the health of your teeth. Magnesium and calcium work together to help your body rebuild enamel lost to erosion.
- Garlic
Garlic is well known for its natural antibacterial properties. Since garlic wipes out bacteria indiscriminately, you will want to follow up with a serving of yogurt to establish beneficial bacteria colonies in your mouth.
If you have more questions about maintaining your dental health, schedule an appointment at Arkansas Family Dental by calling 501.683.8886. Your dentist can also provide suggestions on what to eat for healthy teeth at your appointment.
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