How Foods Affect Your Oral Health
Your diet is a key part of your overall health, but it’s also a major player in your oral health. There are foods available that can improve the health of your teeth, just like there are foods that can wreak havoc on your smile. At Williamsville Family Dentistry, we’re committed to helping our patients have beautiful, healthy smiles. To help us do that, we love to help educate our patients about how different foods affect their oral health.
Healthy & Unhealthy Foods for Teeth
Protecting your teeth requires more than just a good brushing and flossing routine. What you put into your body can have a big effect on your smile, especially since your teeth are an integral part of eating. It’s important to know what foods are better for your teeth and which you should avoid, or at least consume in moderation.
Some of our favorite healthy foods and drinks include sweet potatoes, which provide iron as well as vitamins C, D, and B6; cheese, which contains calcium and casein, the latter of which provides a buffer for your teeth against bacteria and acid; raw vegetables that promote the production of saliva; milk; and a nice glass of water. All of these foods provide important nutrients to your teeth, and water helps rinse your mouth out and quench your thirst while avoiding unnecessary sugars and calories.
Teeth Whitening Foods
It seems strange, but there are actually foods out there that can provide natural teeth whitening! Raw crunchy veggies like carrots, celery, and broccoli can help whiten teeth by breaking apart plaque build-up on your teeth, giving them a good scrubbing. In addition to whitening, broccoli provides an assortment of vitamins and minerals that strengthen teeth and provide your entire body with health benefits.
Sweets & Snacks
Sometimes it’s hard to avoid unhealthy foods, especially around the holidays. We’re bombarded with food at every turn, especially sweets and snacks, as we mingle with friends and family. Even during the summer, we can’t escape cool treats like popsicles by the pool or popcorn while watching the summer’s big blockbuster.
If you still have a bit of a sweet tooth, there are sweet toothpastes on the market that might help curb your craving. From chocolate to cupcake to honey and beyond, pick your favorite flavor to satisfy your taste buds and clean your teeth at the same time!
The food and drink we put into our body can affect more than just our waistline – they can cause oral health problems, too! In need of nutritional suggestions to improve your dental health? Talk with our team at your next appointment, and don’t forget to check out our blog posts about food and your smile.