New Year’s Resolution: Eating Healthy for Great Oral Health

With a new year upon us you’re likely thinking about setting some resolutions to help keep your health on track. When setting these resolutions, you definitely don’t want to forget one important area of your life: your teeth! In order to keep the dentist at bay and keep your mouth health in top shape, there are several foods you should include in your new year’s resolution diet.

At Reflections-Dental Oakville, we promote great overall health – not just great mouth health. That means excellent foods that often are good for you overall, are great for your teeth and mouth, too. Coupled with exercise, and you and your family will live your best life! Let’s do it together!

Best foods for mouth health

The foods you eat can have a serious affect on the health of your teeth and gums. Whether you’re looking to ward of cavities and gum disease or just avoid the dentist altogether, eating foods that are good for your teeth will have many benefits for all areas of your physical health.

Meat and fatty fish

Most meats are full of healthy nutrients that are good for your teeth and gums. Chewing meat can also help to increase saliva production and wash bacteria off of your teeth.

Fatty fish like salmon is packed with a mineral called phosphorus, which helps to protect tooth enamel.

Dairy products

Foods like cheese, milk and yogurt are packed with calcium which is important for helping your teeth maintain their bone density.

Yogurt – contains probiotics that help prevent cavities, protect against gum disease and fight bad breath

Milk – along with the vitamins in milk that help teeth maintain their health, milk helps to neutralize acids in the mouth which can help prevent tooth decay and cavities

Cheese – as well as containing calcium and other beneficial vitamins and minerals, cheese is low in sugar which is always a good thing in a snack. A significant benefit to nibbling on cheese is that it can help increase saliva production while it scrubs bacteria off of teeth. Together this can help wash harmful bacteria out of your mouth

Fruits and vegetables

It’s no secret that fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet, but did you know they also offer some serious benefits for your teeth?

Kiwis, strawberries and other berries – The vitamin C found in kiwis and berries helps teeth to maintain their strength and whiteness.

Apples and pears – These fibrous fruits help to scrub your teeth clean and clean your gums with every bite you take. They also help to increase saliva production which can neutralize the acids in your mouth and wash bacteria away.

Raisins and cranberries – While some of these dried fruits can be full of sugar and should be snacked on sparingly, there are some positive benefits as well. Fresh cranberries can help prevent plaque formation and raisins have recently been shown to help fight tooth decay and gum disease thanks to chemicals called phytochemicals.

Crunchy vegetables – Vegetables like carrots and celery help to keep teeth scrubbed clean thanks to the chewing required to eat them and the increased water they contain.

Leafy greens – Greens like lettuce, spinach and kale are full of vitamins and minerals that keep your mouth health in top shape.

Sweet Potatoes – Vitamin A found in sweet potatoes helps to keep your gums healthy while a protein called keratin helps to form tooth enamel to keep your teeth strong.

Garlic and onions – both of these veggies have properties that help fight against tooth decay and gum disease.

Whole grain breads and carbs

While white breads and pastas are known to be bad for your teeth, whole grains can actually have the opposite effect. The complex carbs in whole grains are packed with nutrients that help teeth and gums stay healthy.

Nuts

Nuts are all full of minerals like calcium and phosphorus that prevent tooth decay and help maintain their strength. Almonds, cashews and brazil nuts fight bacteria while peanuts are a good source of vitamin D and cashews help stimulate the production of saliva. Walnuts are packed with many vitamins and minerals making them an excellent snack for your teeth.

Eat healthy and your teeth will thank you

Eating foods that are good for your teeth will help keep both your mouth and your dentist happy. While you should see your dentist for regular visits, eating mouth healthy foods can help keep your visits to a minimum.