Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz, CA
You brush and floss your teeth regularly, and you never miss a dental checkup, yet your teeth still are not in the best of shape. What gives? Many people often disregard the fact that their diet significantly impacts their oral health. Here are some foods that can help keep your teeth healthy, and foods that you should avoid.
Calcium
Just like the commercials always said, “Milk, it does a body good,” same goes for your teeth too! According to a study published in the Journal of Periodontology, subjects who consumed less than 500 mg of calcium a day were twice as likely to develop gum disease, as compared to those who consumed the recommended daily intake (1000-1200 mg/day, depending on age) of this vital mineral.
If you are not a milk drinker, you can still get this mineral from a plethora of non-dairy foods. Leafy greens such as kale and collards, beans, oranges, okra, and even canned salmon are excellent sources of calcium.
Vitamin C
This valuable vitamin not only helps ward off infection but also aids in repairing connective tissue. Consuming less than the recommended daily intake of this vitamin could increase your chance of developing gingivitis by 25%! Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease. If left untreated, the disease will advance into more severe stages, which may eventually result in tooth loss.
Raw fruits and veggies
The benefit of these crunchy foods such as celery, carrots, apples, and pears, are two-fold. They help remove bacteria buildup from your teeth, which causes plaque. Plus, the extra chewing helps stimulate saliva flow, neutralizing cavity-causing bacteria.
Tea
Although black tea can stain teeth, it also has antibacterial properties that attack the bad bacteria in your mouth. Just be sure not to sip on it all day, and rinse your mouth out afterward to remove any residual sugars, if you drink it sweetened.
Water
Our bodies require water, so why not reap additional benefits while staying hydrated? Water helps rinse away bacteria from the mouth. Plus, it contains fluoride, which is a naturally occurring mineral added to tap water. Studies have shown that fluoride significantly reduces one’s risk of developing cavities.
Foods to avoid
Foods that contain sugar, or that are gummy and stick to your teeth, should be avoided as much as possible. It is hard not to indulge in these types of foods sometimes but when you do, but sure to brush afterward or at least rinse your mouth out with tap water.
To schedule an appointment, contact Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry today at (831) 438-4411. We welcome patients of Los Gatos, Santa Cruz, and Scotts Valley, California.
