Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth

If you are what you consume, then your teeth and gums are even more reflective of your diet. When you consume saccharine and starchy foods, you are not only nourishing yourself. You are also nourishing the bacteria in your mouth that can cause tooth decay and gum disease. Plaque is a thin, invisible, and adhesive layer of microorganisms and other substances. It encompasses all of your teeth’s surfaces. When sugars or starches in the pharynx interact with plaque, acids are produced. These acids can attack your teeth for at least 20 minutes after ingesting. The tough enamel on the surface of teeth can be eroded by repeated assaults. This contributes to tooth erosion. Plaque bacteria also induce an inflammatory response. This causes the destruction of the gingival, bone, and other tooth-supporting structures.

Certain substances promote tooth decay. Other nutrients help prevent plaque formation. Here are some foods to search out, and others to avoid. Given here the Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth.

The Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth

The good guys

Some suggested foods:

• Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. The American Dental Association (ADA) reports that fiber-rich foods help keep teeth and gums clean. They also cause salivation. This is your best natural defense against cavities and gum disease, next to excellent dental hygiene. Approximately 20 minutes after consuming a sugary or starchy food, your saliva begins to neutralize the acids and enzymes assaulting your teeth. There are trace amounts of calcium and phosphate in saliva. Therefore, it restores minerals to areas of teeth where they were lost due to bacterial acids.

• Cheese, milk, plain yogurt, and other dairy products. Cheese is another source of saliva. The calcium and phosphates in milk, cheese, and other dairy products, help bring back minerals your teeth might have lost due to other foods. Additionally, they help restore tooth enamel.

• Green and black teas. Both of these teas contain polyphenols that interact with microorganisms in plaque. These substances either eliminate or inhibit bacterial growth. This prevents tooth-eroding bacteria from developing and producing acid. Depending on the type of water used to prepare the tea, a cup of tea may also contain fluoride.

• Sugarless chewing gum. This is yet another excellent saliva producer that eliminates food particles from the mouth.

• Foods with fluoride. Fluoridated water, or any product made with fluoridated water, is beneficial for your teeth. This includes dehydrated soups and powdered beverages (as long as they do not contain a lot of sugar). Fluoride can also be added to commercially prepared foods such as poultry, seafood, and powdered cereals.

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The bad guys

Stay away from these:

• Sticky candies and sweets. If you consume sweets, choose those that leave your mouth swiftly. Therefore, lollipops, caramels, and cough drops containing refined sugar are unacceptable. The cavity-preventing effects of chocolate have been extensively publicized (primarily through studies funded by the candy industry). This is not completely proved. However, according to the ADA, chocolate is more easily removed from teeth than other confectionery. There are some health advantages to dark chocolate (70% cacao). Some studies have demonstrated that chocolate is not as unhealthy as other sweet indulgences.

• Starchy foods that can get stuck in your mouth. For example, soft breads and potato chips can become lodged between your teeth.

• Carbonated soft drinks. These beverages are the primary source of added sugar among children and adolescents. They are drenched in saccharine. And the majority of soft drinks contain phosphoric and citric acids that wear away tooth enamel.

• Substances that dry out your mouth. Among these are alcohol and numerous medications. If medications are the cause, consult your dentist about obtaining a fluoride rinse or fluoride gel for brushing your teeth.

Eat for a healthy mouth

The ADA offers these tips to help reduce the risk of tooth decay from the foods you eat:

• Consume sweet foods with meals. Your saliva production increases during meals. This reduces the effect of acid production and removes food particles from the pharynx.

  Limit snacking between meals. If you feel the need for a refreshment, select something nutritious. Consider chomping sugarless gum afterwards to stimulate salivation and neutralize food acids.

  Consume more water. Water containing fluoride can help prevent tooth decay. Check the label for fluoride content if you choose bottled water.

  Brush your teeth twice a day.

  Once per day, you should floss