Many people push their oral health to the back of their priority list, but it is so important that this isn’t the case.
There are so many different foods and drinks out there that are bad for your teeth, but many are also very good for them, so we are here to introduce a few of the different foods and drinks that you should be avoiding and those that you can replace them with!
You should regularly be visiting your private dentist, and make sure that if you ever have any concerns, you let them know, even in between appointments. You can research more about the current dental treatment costs in the UK to ensure you’re covered financially.
So, let’s get into it and find out what you should and shouldn’t be eating when it comes to your oral health! These tips will also help you to create healthy habits for the rest of your body too.
The Good Food Choices
1. Water
One of the best things for your teeth is water. After you have eaten, you should always drink a glass of water as it can help you to remove leftover food or sugar from the mouth. It might not remove everything, and it should definitely never be used as an alternative to brushing, flossing and mouthwash, but it is good for throughout the day when you won’t be brushing after every meal.
2. Dairy Products
Dairy products like cheese, yoghurt and milk contain lots of calcium and phosphates, which help to give your teeth the minerals they need, helping to rebuild tooth enamel. So, eat a variety of different dairy products in your diet and your teeth will benefit.
3. Green Tea
Green tea contains ingredients that interact with plaque bacteria, that can help to remove or hold back unwanted bacteria that can be damaging to teeth. So, replace a couple of your normal teas with green tea.
4. Fruit and Veg That Are High In Fibre
You should also be incorporating high in fibre fruits and vegetables into your diet, as they keep your teeth and gums clean and they also encourage the production of saliva which helps to minimise the damage that acid can have on your teeth.
5. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are another staple food that is great for your teeth. They are high in calcium, as well as folic acid, both of which are fantastic for your teeth and gums. Add leafy greens to smoothies, salads, and soups for an easy boost for your teeth.
6. Crunchy Vegetables
Next up we have crunchy vegetables, which are fantastic for your teeth as you need to chew them more than other vegetables, which help to naturally clean them and increase the flow of saliva. Celery is one of the best choices for this, along with carrots!
7. Nuts
Nuts are a great food to incorporate into your diet, especially when you’re wanting to look after your teeth because they are packed full of great vitamins and minerals for your teeth. Cashews are particularly good for this, as well as almonds. Snack on nuts as they are or toast them to add to salads for a delicious and crunchy addition.
The Bad Food Choices
1. Sugary Foods and Drinks
Moving onto the foods and drinks that aren’t so good for your teeth, first up we have anything sugary! Things like sugary drinks, chocolate, sweets, and desserts should always be eaten in moderation, as when your teeth are regularly in contact with sugar, acid is produced in the mouth that attacks your tooth enamel, which is the hard layer. When this is damaged, it can cause sensitivity and eventually can cause gum disease. So, reducing your sugary foods and drinks intake is really important.
2. Sweets
We’ve already introduced sweets as one of the bad foods, but it deserves a bit more information as they can be very damaging. This is especially the case with very sticky sweets as they will stay in your mouth for a long time and potentially get caught between teeth, eventually resulting in cavities when you eat them very often. If you do want to eat sweets, try and choose ones that will leave your mouth quickly to reduce damage as much as possible!
3. Any Foods That Dry Out The Mouth
Saliva is super important for the teeth, as it helps to naturally wash away some foods if they are left over in the mouth. So, when you are regularly eating very dry foods or drinking a lot of alcohol which is known for drying out the mouth, food won’t be getting washed away and your teeth will suffer as a result. If you are going to eat drying foods, then eat them with the main meal as your mouth naturally produces more saliva when you are eating.
4. White Bread
Although you might not think it, white bread is actually packed full of sugar, and when you are chewing this can get stuck to your teeth and gums. If you are drinking after you eat white bread, and thoroughly brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash evening and night, you should be okay!
Now you should be able to make better food choices for your mouth and teeth to maintain healthy gums for as long as possible.
