5 Essential Diet Tips For Healthy Teeth
We don’t appreciate our dental health until something goes wrong with it. We are all guilty of taking the health of our teeth for granted until we wake up with a severe toothache.
All of a sudden, the situation becomes serious and we are hunting for emergency dentist locations so that we can get ourselves some treatment. We look after the rest of our health and try to adapt our diet to keep our hearts healthy so why not look after our teeth as well. Here are 5 essential elements that you must have in your diet to protect your dental health.
- Vitamins and minerals for dental health
Periodontal disease is associated with low intakes of several essential vitamins and minerals. Make sure that you are getting enough of these essential dietary elements. Firstly, protein is needed for tooth structure, the growth, and repair of mucosal and connective tissues and immune function. Calcium is essential for enamel and phosphorus for tooth structure.
Don’t forget the vitamins. You need Vitamin A for mucosal and connective tissue health and to fight the bad bacteria in your mouth. Vitamin C is needed for collagen and the periodontal ligament.
- Probiotics
Probiotics are live cultures of bacteria that naturally occur in foods such as sauerkraut and live-cultured yogurt. Studies indicate that they may help to prevent gingivitis (gum disease) and plaque. It is thought that this is because the bacteria suppress the growth of pathogens in the mouth.
Probiotics are also thought to be good for gut health and should be a part of a healthy balanced diet. Live culture yogurt is available in a variety of flavors to suit all tastes.
Image from: https://static.pexels.com/photos/139917/pexels-photo-139917.jpeg
- Cranberries
Cranberries are recognized a health food as they are rich is anthocyanins. This is the enzyme that is also present in other super foods such as blueberries, red cabbage, and black rice. It contributes to dental health by stopping harmful bacteria from attaching and colonizing surfaces in the mouth. This prevents decay. Some new research has shown that cranberry extract-infused mouthwash is a useful addition to a dental health routine.
- Green tea and chewing gum
Drinking green tea and chewing gum are not things that you should do at the same time but they are both useful for maintaining dental health! The polyphenols in green tea are excellent at reducing the pathogenic bacteria in the mouth. It also contains high levels of fluoride, which is essential for healthy teeth.
The chewing gum that contains pycnogenol is made from pine bark or sap. This product is thought to decrease plaque and bleeding gums and makes tooth decay less likely.
- Whole foods
Whole foods are good for our general health and should be the main part of our diet. Substitute processed food such as white bread, pasta, and rice with their whole food alternatives and your health will benefit. This includes your dental health which will improve thanks to all the additional vitamins and minerals.