When you take a bite of a juicy burger, slam back a cold glass of tea, or even just savor a delicious piece of fruit, your teeth are coming into contact with the food. They, along with every other part of our oral cavity, are both directly and indirectly affected by the foods we enjoy each day. Along with the negative effects of acid and sugar found in our food, our teeth, gums, and other tissues in the oral cavity all have nutritional requirements to remain at their best.  

It’s Not All About What To Avoid

We’ve all heard which foods to avoid throughout our lives, and we’ll recap those at the end of this article. What we’d like to talk about is something different, a selection of foods and nutrients that you may want to focus on to ensure that your teeth and gums have the nutrients they need to remain strong and healthy.

That means moving away from sweet, sticky and foods and drinks that are acidic. Instead, you’ll want to focus on eating a well-balanced diet that boosts your intake of tooth-friendly nutrients such as calcium, Vitamin D, etc. Consider complimenting your current diet with the following foods to help improve your smile:

• Spinach, Lettuce, and Other Leafy Greens – Indulging in a salad made from rich green vegetables is a substantial source of calcium, iron, and folic acid your need for healthy teeth and gums.
• Apples and Pears – In addition to being delicious, the fibrous nature of the flesh of these fruits can help scrub away excess plaque and tartar from your teeth. They also promote salivation, which is our body’s natural defense against decay. The flesh and juice of the pear actually help cavity-causing acid in our mouths.
• Cheese, Milk, Yogurt – Most people agree that cheese is one of the world’s greatest pleasures, and how fortunate that it contributes to a beautiful smile. Vitamin D, calcium, phosphate (important for enamel), and a lack of sugars make it the perfect snack. Yogurt and milk are great additions as well!

These are just a few of the foods you can add to your diet to improve your overall oral health and your general health as well. Isn’t it nice to know there are things you can add to your diet rather than remove that will improve your oral health?

A Recap Of Foods To Avoid

Just to make sure that we’ve offered a complete approach, we’ll cover the common foods to avoid. In general, you want to avoid anything that’s high in acid or sugar, especially if the food is also particularly sticky. Caramel is a great example of this and can be considered an enemy to teeth wherever it finds them. Excessively hard foods should also be eaten with care, and your teeth should never be used as a nutcracker. If you have questions that are yet unanswered about how to eat healthily for your teeth and gums, speak to your dentist during your next appointment. If it’s been a while since your last visit, call today and schedule a visit!