Many people are looking for simple ways to lead a healthier life. From working out to maintaining a balanced diet, there are myriad ways to help keep your body in great working order. But what about your mouth? Are there foods that are better for your oral health than others? Simply put, yes. There are many foods that help keep your oral health in fighting shape, and these foods can benefit the rest of the body too. Is xylitol a magic sweetener that is dentist approved? Here are just a few top foods you’re probably already eating that can help maintain your oral health!
With summer here, there’s no shortage of fresh fruits and vegetables to bite into. Fresh fruits and vegetables not only have that signature crunch, but they’re also packed with vitamins and minerals, which are great for your overall health.
And an added benefit? They’re also beneficial to your oral health! In fact, crunchy raw fruits and vegetables are one of, if not the best, foods you can eat, and all you need is five servings per day. Fruits and vegetables help to clean the teeth as you chew, and they even freshen your breath! All that, and they’re delicious too.
Nuts and seeds are not only packed with healthy fats, but they’re also great for your body and your teeth. Crunching on these delicious little snacks cleans the teeth as you chew, and because they’re packed with calcium, they help strengthen tooth enamel, too.
Lean and unprocessed meats like fish, chicken, and trimmed beef or pork are all excellent choices for maintaining your oral health because they’re packed with phosphorus and protein, which both aid in the strengthening and protection of tooth enamel.
Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and especially yogurt are excellent ways to get calcium and strengthen tooth enamel. Yogurt takes it a step further because it has active cultures, which can provide “good bacteria” called probiotics.
Probiotics help to fight the bad bacteria in your mouth, reducing your risk of cavities and bad breath. In fact, studies have shown that people who eat yogurt have healthier gums than those who don’t!
Made from corn and birch trees, xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener that contains no mystery chemicals. It is used to sweeten everything from candy to peanut butter, and it’s packed with oral health benefits.
You see, when xylitol enters the mouth, it tricks your oral bacteria into believing it’s real sugar, which bacteria thrive on. With us so far? Now, normally when those pesky bacteria find sugar, they devour it, causing a reaction that creates the acid that wears away at your teeth and causes cavities. But xylitol isn’t sugar, so when the bacteria go to consume it, they get none of the nutrients necessary to survive, starving them to death.
You may have noticed we mentioned that some candies are made with xylitol. You’ve probably heard that candy isn’t so great for the body – or the teeth. But with xylitol, you can indulge in a sweet treat without feeling guilty, because that candy is actually improving the oral cavity instead of harming it!
Just like there are plenty of foods you can enjoy that help protect your teeth and gums, there are many that you should avoid because they can wreak havoc on your oral health. Here are just a few:
Candy of any kind (except for xylitol-sweetened candy!) is generally frowned upon for a healthy diet. That’s because candy is packed with sugar, which can coat the teeth and feed those dangerous little bacteria that cause cavities. If you do decide to have that piece of chocolate, opt for dark chocolate, as it is packed with polyphenols, which can help reduce bad bacteria in the mouth. Plus, it’s delicious!
Any gummy fruit snacks or candies run the risk of not just leaving the mouth bathed in sticky sugar, but they can also be dangerous to people with fillings, loose teeth, temporomandibular joint dysfunction or braces. For this reason, we recommend you skip the gummies.
Soda and sweetened beverages often contain not just high levels of sugar, but also high levels of acid, which can erode tooth enamel. Once it’s gone, tooth enamel never comes back. We need tooth enamel to protect and strengthen our teeth. If you do have an acidic drink, we recommend you alternate sips of water, and wait at least 30 minutes before brushing to give the tooth enamel time to harden back up. Sometimes when exposed to acid, the enamel softens. Brushing teeth with softened enamel can scratch the enamel and permanently damage the teeth.
Similarly, fruit juices are also a bad idea. It may seem counterintuitive because fruit is so good for your teeth, but juices often contain citric acid and lots of sugar, so it’s best to stick to fresh fruits for your fruit fix.
Now we know avoiding these foods at all times is impossible. Who would want to anyway!? You should absolutely enjoy all of the delicious foods life has to offer! Just be a little more cognizant of the snacks that may need some extra oral care after.
Whether it’s a crunchy apple, a handful of almonds, or a grilled filet of salmon, there’s no shortage of healthy foods that benefit not just your body but your mouth too. If you have any questions about which foods are best for your mouth, or to schedule an appointment, contact Breathe Modern Dentistry today!