The foods we consume have a huge impact on our oral health. While some foods strengthen our teeth and gums, others cause plaque build-up, halitosis, and cavities. In order to maintain your oral health, it’s important to choose the right diet. Here’s some advice from Parkcrest Dental Group on which foods to choose and which to avoid.
Choose: Fiber-Rich Foods
To improve your oral health, Parkcrest Dental Group recommends eating foods that are high in fiber. Fiber-rich foods such as apples, strawberries, and broccoli increase saliva production in the mouth, helping clean out bacteria particles stuck in your teeth. Another benefit of increased saliva is better breath. Having a dry mouth is linked to halitosis or chronic bad breath, and increased saliva production combats the problem. Additionally, eating crunchy fiber-rich foods like celery, cucumbers, and carrots strengthens your gums, combatting gum disease and other serious diseases associated with weak gums such as heart disease.
Related Post: General Dentistry: Best Diet For Your Oral Health (Part I)
Avoid: Sugar-Rich Foods
Eating large amounts of sugary foods take a serious toll on your teeth. Along with causing weight-gain, heart disease, and diabetes, regularly consuming large amounts of sugar can also erode your tooth enamel, leading toward cavities. If cavities go untreated, they can result in tooth loss. Parkcrest Dental Group recommends avoiding sugar-rich foods and beverages, such as soft drinks. Instead, try drinking more water. Unlike soft drinks, water increases saliva production and rinses the mouth. When you do consume sugary foods and drinks, brush your teeth afterward to prevent plaque build-up.
Choose: Calcium-Rich Foods
Calcium-rich foods provide many benefits to your oral health. Like fiber, calcium-rich foods such as milk, cheese, and yogurt increase saliva production, cleaning away bacteria and preventing bad breath. Calcium-rich foods also help rebuild tooth enamel and lower the amount of acid in your mouth. Along with dairy products, other great sources of calcium include almonds and leafy greens like spinach and kale.
Related Post: General Dentistry: Best Diet For Your Oral Health (Part II)
Avoid: Citrus-Rich Foods
Fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and tomatoes have high amounts of citric acid. Like sugary substances, foods with large amounts of citric acid erode tooth enamel, causing cavities and tooth decay. Although citrus foods damage tooth enamel, the large amounts of Vitamin C found in these foods offer many health benefits. Therefore, Parkcrest Dental Group recommends consuming citrus-rich foods in one sitting and brushing your teeth afterward. For example, if you enjoy eating oranges, eat one with breakfast before brushing your teeth rather than eating them throughout the day.
Visit Parkcrest Dental Group for Your Dental Needs
Along with choosing the right diet, scheduling regular checkups and cleanings with your dentist in Springfield, MO is one of the best ways to keep your teeth healthy. At Parkcrest Dental Group, we are happy to answer any of your questions about diet and oral health. Contact us today to set up an appointment!
