Water, dairy, fresh crunchy vegetables like apples, carrots, celery, cucumbers, and capsicum, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, oily fish, tea, and most types of meat are not only delicious, but are also vital for healthy teeth and great oral health. Some of these feed your teeth, others improve your overall health, while others clean your teeth, give you fresh breath, provide good acids, and neutralise the bad bacteria and acids that are in your mouth, and reduce inflammation.

So, what are the best foods you need to eat to keep your teeth healthy and why?

1. Dairy

Because… Milk, cheese, and yoghurt are packed with essential nutrients and proteins, they are some of the best foods for healthy teeth.

• Milk – calcium and phosphorus which help remineralise your teeth and neutralise citric and malic acids in your mouth which cause tooth decay.
• Yoghurt – probiotics, calcium and phosphorus. Probiotics promote the good bacteria in your mouth, and your gut. It’s great for heartburn as well. Unsweetened and unflavoured milk and yoghurt is best as anything else is laden with sugar.
• Hard Cheeses – casein, which helps to repair enamel and strengthen teeth, stimulates saliva which is necessary as it washes away bad bacteria and bad acids while also supplying good acids.

2. Fatty fish & lean proteins

Because… Rich quantities of Vitamin D and phosphorus, which are vital for building both strong enamel and bones and reducing inflammation, can be found in eggs, chicken, salmon, tofu, trout, and tuna.

3. Fluoridated Water

Because… It washes away any remaining food particles, acids, and bad bacteria that accumulate in your mouth during the day and keeps dehydration away. Fluoride integrates with your teeth and makes them stronger.

4. Green, leafy vegetables

Because… Rich amounts of calcium, folic acid, vitamins and minerals are packed into leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and lettuce. All of which are the first line of defence against cavities, poor oral health and overall health.

5. Nuts and seeds

Because… Essential minerals like calcium and phosphorus are also found in some nuts and seeds such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, and sesame seeds. They help protect and remineralise enamel.

6. Raw, crunchy, fresh, fruit and vegetables

Because… Very necessary antioxidants, vitamin C, and fibre can be found in raw, crunchy fruit vegetables like apples, carrots, celery, cucumbers, and bell peppers and provide the same advantages as hard cheeses – that of stimulating saliva cleaning your teeth of plaque and freshening your breath at the same time. Soft fruits, like berries, Strawberries, oranges, kiwis, and pineapples aid with collagen production, but as they are higher in sugar and acid, eat them only with meals and in small quantities.

7. Green and Herbal Teas

Because… Polyphenols are found in unsweetened green and herbal teas are great for reducing the bad bacteria in your mouth.

If this list seems like other healthy diet lists, that’s because it is. Why?

Because… Your overall health plays a large part in your oral health.

This article first appeared online at: https://www.team-dental.co.nz/dental-news/what-are-the-best-foods-to-keep-your-teeth-healthy/

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