Best Food For Teeth

What would life be without teeth? Imagine all the things you wouldn’t be able to enjoy because you couldn’t bite, crack, chew or nibble. We take our teeth for granted, expecting them to always be there until that first sharp pain in your jaw-The clarion call of a toothache. Since childhood we have been told what would rot our teeth, candy, cake, soda and so much more…but do you know what will build it up?

Here’s a list of some of the best foods for strong and healthy teeth:

Spring Water

Water helps wash away residual sugars and acid from teeth. Spring water especially contains natural fluoride, a mineral that protects against tooth erosion, and most tap or bottled water are also fortified with it. Most foods that produce water are good for washing away any residual sugars

Dairy

Acidic foods and drinks may cause the enamel of your teeth to erode, and so it’s only logical that to make your teeth strong again you need to replace some of the lost minerals, calcium and phosphorus to be precise. Calcium and phosphorous are the building blocks of enamel and foods like almonds, cheese, milk and tofu which are rich in them, will help build up the enamel surrounding your teeth. You can also find phosphorous in fish, Brazil nuts, red meat & eggs.

Fruits and Vegetables

Leafy greens and other foods high in fibre, are full of vitamins and minerals; they contain folic acid, a type of B vitamin that is believed to help treat gum disease in pregnant women. Celery is a good source of vitamins A and C- both antioxidants are great for the health of your gums. For whiter teeth, chew on some Strawberries. They contain malic acid which is a ‘natural enamel whitener.

Probiotics

There are two types of bacteria- good bacteria and bacteria. Probiotics are some of the best ones, with some evidence to show that they may help to decrease plaque and promote healthy gums. You can get probiotics in yogurt, miso, sauerkraut, and any other fermented food.

Black and Green Tea

The polyphenols contained in these teas are believed to reduce bad bacteria build-up and other toxic by-products in the mouth like plaque. Tea also tends to be rich in fluoride.

Garlic, Ginger & Shiitake Mushrooms

These two spices do more than come together to make a great curry, they make great homeopathic remedies for toothaches, and as a preventative option, the allicin in garlic helps fight periodontal disease and tooth decay due to its strong antimicrobial properties; while ginger is fantastic at inhibiting bacterial growth and promoting fresh breath, Shiitake mushrooms are rich in lentinan, a natural sugar that disrupts the formation of plaque.

Black coffee

These should probably be known as the good bad guys because you may have probably seen them featured on the ‘what not to eat list’, so why are they here? Recent studies have shown that coffee, black and unsweetened, may actually help protect your teeth from decay and actually fight plaque. The same can be said for wine, red wine only, with a strong antimicrobial effect against cavities causing bacteria.

If you’re not sure what your teeth needs, go to a qualified dentist like Tiger Smile Dental for a consultation. It’s worth telling your dentist what you plan to do, they will have suggestions worth trying.