The food and beverages you ingest play a vital role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A balanced, nutritious diet can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. What foods should you incorporate into your daily diet to promote healthy teeth?
Food For Healthy Teeth
The best food for healthy teeth provides essential nutrients in key categories. Healthy foods that don’t stain your teeth contain:
Calcium
Dairy foods such as milk, plain yogurt and cheese plus leafy greens and almonds are high in calcium, which is important to help keep teeth strong. Look for dairy products produced from grass-fed cows, which are higher in vitamin K2.
Protein
Protein-rich foods such as meat, poultry, fish and eggs are good sources of phosphorus, which helps protect and rebuild tooth enamel. Fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna, is high in vitamin D and omega-3, which help prevent gum disease. People who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet can get protein from various foods, including lentils, quinoa, and many types of beans and nuts.
Fiber
Fruits and vegetables prepared without added sugar are a good source of fiber, which helps clean teeth. They also help stimulate the production of saliva, which “washes” teeth to help remove food particles and sugar.
Dark leafy greens are great for teeth because they are high in the minerals needed for the remineralization of enamel. Choices include spinach, arugula, kale and Swiss chard.
Hydration
Plain water is the best choice to keep your body properly hydrated without ingesting added sugar which can adversely affect your teeth. Unsweetened tea is also good but may stain tooth enamel over time if consumed regularly.
What To Avoid
Conversely, there are many foods to avoid that can damage teeth. Any food or drink that contains a lot of sugar should be avoided. Sugar feeds plaque bacteria that live in your mouth, producing an acid that leads to tooth decay and cavities.
Diets that limit carbohydrates – such as the Keto plan – are designed to put the body in ketosis, a fat-burning state. When in ketosis, the body produces ketones which include acetone, the same chemical found in nail polish remover. The result is “keto breath’ which is bad breath on steroids. Another side effect of ketosis is tooth sensitivity which over time can lead to oral health issues, including bone erosion because dieters tend to reduce calcium intake. A weakened jawbone can result in loose teeth.
Dentist for All Ages
Do you have questions about what food to eat for healthy teeth? Are you looking for a dentist near Joliet? Count on Shorewood Family Dental Care to provide accurate advice and quality care. Call 815-725-5991 today to schedule an exam.
