The food you eat impacts all aspects of your health. While there is a lot more focus on avoiding or eating certain foods concerning losing weight or gaining strength, we forget how the same food affects the mouth, i.e., the place from where it enters our body and where it is broken down to be swallowed.
Let’s take a look at what foods are bad for the teeth and which ones improve our dental health:
Foods that Ruin Dental Health
Starchy and Sugary Food – It is common knowledge that sugary food is bad for teeth, but we often forget how starchy foods, i.e., carbs, are also all sugar. While the starch doesn’t completely dissolve into sugar molecules in the mouth, it can get stuck in teeth. The bacteria then break down the bits and pieces of bread or potatoes or other starchy foods in the mouth into sugar, which makes eating them as harmful for teeth as eating candies and sweets.
Sugary Drinks – You may think sugary drinks are harmless for teeth as they cannot get stuck in them. However, most sugar drinks are also carbonated and contain a high percentage of citric and phosphoric acid. When teeth are exposed to these drinks regularly, they can cause considerable tooth enamel. Bacteria can also cause the invisible sugar molecules to attach to them, which can lead to cavities.
Dry (Unhealthy) Foods – It’s not always about the teeth! Food that makes your mouth dry can be very harmful to your dental health, too, since food that makes your mouth dry directly impacts the saliva producing glands in your mouth. Producing saliva is an essential function of the mouth. Without saliva, you will not be able to chew or swallow food. Since saliva is also the first step of digestion, reduced quantities of saliva in your mouth for a prolonged time can impact your overall health.
Foods that Promote Healthy Gums and Teeth
Dairy Products – While dairy foods may or may not be the best for your stomach, they are beneficial for your dental health. They contain essential minerals such as phosphate and calcium, which can help rebuild the tooth enamel. Chewing them also helps produce saliva that can greatly improve the overall health of your mouth.
Tea without Milk and Sugar – There is no harm in drinking un-sweetened tea with milk; drinking tea without milk and sugar is better for your mouth. While different teas contain different essential minerals, almost all of them contain fluorides and polyphenols. Fluoride can help your teeth rebuild tooth enamel, while polyphenols are excellent at killing harmful bacteria. Drinking unsweetened tea without milk also washes away the sugars in your mouth, halting the cavity buildup.
Fiber-Rich Leafy Greens – Leafy greens are the best food for your mouth. Like dairy products, chewing leafy greens also promotes saliva production in the mouth, and like unsweetened black tea, they wash away the bacteria and sugars in your mouth. They also contain many essential minerals, including calcium and phosphate, which help rebuild the decayed tooth enamel.
The next time you select foods for meal prep, pick them for how they impact all aspects of your health. However, eating healthy foods alone cannot improve your dental health alone. Visit a dentist regularly to keep your teeth healthy for a long. If you live in the Halisham region, the Dental Register in Halisham can help you find a dentist nearest to you!
