The Best Foods for Your Healthiest Teeth and Gums

Remember that old adage, “Over the teeth, pass the gums, look out stomach, here it comes?” Well, what you choose to send over your teeth and past your gums has just as much to with your dental health as satisfying your stomach. Certain foods promote healthy teeth and gums, just as they strengthen your body overall.

Here are a few suggestions of what foods you should reach for in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy…

Boost Your Dental Health One Bite at a Time

So, you brush and floss at least twice a day and never miss a schedule cleaning with your dental hygienist. While those practices are essential to dental health, you can boost your efforts even further by choosing your snacks and meals wisely.

Say Cheese! Dental Health Found in Dairy Products

Cheese lovers, rejoice! Reaching for a snack from the dairy family actually does your teeth a favor. Cheese and other dairy options, like yogurt, are rich in calcium and protein, which we know are powerhouses when it comes to strengthening bones and tooth enamel.

The Pros Know…

The probiotics found in dairy products are the real heroes when it comes to healthy teeth and gums. Probiotics – the best of bacteria – chase the bad bacteria away from gums, making it difficult for them to grow and create cavities. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, chewing cheese increases the pH levels in your mouth, which increases saliva, and reduces tooth decay. Just another reason to say cheese when it comes to your teeth!

Feast on Fruits and Veggies

It’s no secret that a diet rich in fruits and veggies is key to optimal health and that includes oral health. But, there is a distinction to be made as some fruits, particularly the citrus variety, are often too acidic and can compromise tooth enamel. Instead, reach for fibrous fruits like apples. As the saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away…” and maybe the dentist, too!

Fruits high in fiber stimulate saliva production, which helps flush away bacteria, and also energizes the gums, similar to the action of brushing your teeth. In addition, apples have a high water content, which also keeps bacteria on the move.

What’s Up, Doc?

Bugs Bunny might have been onto something. Carrots are apple’s high-fiber veggie counterparts and because they are so crunchy, they also encourage the production of saliva and stimulate the gums, again similar to brushing. In addition to their fibrous nature, carrots also offer vitamin A in abundance, an element essential to a healthy immune system.

Stringy, But So Worth It…

No one likes getting celery strings stuck in their teeth, but those floss-like strings free food particles from in between your teeth, ridding those tight spaces of trouble-causing bacteria. Celery is also watery, which we know is a good thing, and also contains high levels of vitamins A and C, a one-two punch of antioxidants, ideal for gum health. Speaking of punch…

Make Like Popeye and Pop Some Spinach!

That’s right, spinach and other leafy greens, like kale, are loaded with vitamins and calcium, ideal for flexing your oral health and strengthening enamel. Besides, greens are low in calories, so you can load up without loading yourself down.

Go Nuts!

Choose almonds for a low-sugar snack, rich in calcium. Get creative and add some slivered almonds to a salad, or to a cup of plain yogurt for a satisfying crunch and stronger teeth.

Wash it All Down

Water is really the healthiest choice when it comes to beverages. Free of plaque-building and enamel-eroding sugar, water is the best beverage accompaniment to any of these bites for healthy teeth and gums. Cheers!

Incorporate these foods into your daily diet as often as you can for optimal oral health and impress Dr. Chen on your next visit.

Have you booked your next teeth cleaning? These foods can’t do all the heavy lifting on their own. Fortunately, Nancy’s here for reinforcement, so give the Crown Dental Team a call today at 603-521-7739 and keep practicing healthy habits for strong teeth and a radiant smile!