Best foods for better dental health: Guide to healthier teeth and gums
Best Food for Better Dental Health: and Foods to Avoid
Diet plays a pivotal role in maintaining good dental health. Keeping your teeth and gums healthy is not just about brushing and flossing regularly. Certain food items need to be added to your daily diet, and a few things need to be avoided to achieve better dental health.
Before we dive into our list of recommendations of the best foods for dental health, let us understand why and how diet plays a key role.
The type of food you intake and how frequently you consume your meals plays a crucial role in maintaining good dental health. When the food gets into the mouth, the bacteria in your mouth start converting the complex carbohydrates into simple sugars and acids.
This acid produced by the bacteria is responsible for its growth and teeth decay. Saliva plays an essential role in washing off your teeth’ surfaces from acid attacks. Meal timings should also be restricted to prevent frequent snacking as this will allow saliva to act in between the meals.
List of the best food items for a better dental health
Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits like oranges and grapes are high in vitamin C and water content. Vitamin C plays a crucial role in maintaining for gum health, and water content helps wash away the acid-producing bacteria.
Milk and milk products
Milk and milk products like cheese and yogurt are essential for better dental health. these food items increase saliva production and are high in protein, phosphorous, and calcium, which help buffer the acid attack.
Omega-3 fatty acid-rich food
Food items like flax seeds and fish are high in omega-3 fatty acid content, making them the best food item for better oral health. Omega -3 is an anti-inflammatory that stops disease progression and benefits your gum health.
Cocoa
Good news for all chocolate lovers as cocoa also has been proved to reduce inflammation making it a good choice for good dental health. Make sure you opt for sugar-free dark chocolates and do not over-consume them.
Sugar-free drinks and chewing gums
The best possible way is to drink as much water as possible and avoid other drinks as much as possible. Water hydrates the body and also helps in cleaning the teeth surfaces well.
If you have no other choice, make sure you opt for sugar-free drinks.
Nuts
Nuts are an excellent source of calcium, phosphorous, and vitamin D. Try including nuts like peanuts and almonds in your diet. The best time to have them is between the meals to avoid having unhealthy snacks that can increase the mouth’s acid levels damaging the teeth.
Food items to be avoided
Any food item that is a simple form of sugar or can be easily reduced to simple sugars by the bacteria must be avoided. The simple form of sugars helps the bacteria to grow, thereby increasing the chance of tooth decay. A few items that must be avoided are listed below.
- Sugary drinks
- Highly sweetened snacks
- Sugar loaded breakfast cereals
- Starchy food items
Some general tips for healthier teeth and gums
- Do regular brushing and flossing of your teeth along with the use of mouthwash.
- Use fluoridated toothpaste as fluoride prevents teeth decay.
- Visit your dentist regularly for complete dental health checkups
- Avoid frequent snacking in between the meals, and if you want to eat opt for fruits and vegetable salads
