Many of us know how to eat healthy for the sake of our waistlines, but do you know how to eat a mouth-healthy diet? Since March is National Nutrition Month, now seems like as good a time as any to talk about how you can eat in a way that benefits your teeth and gums. Keep reading to learn a few best practices for sticking to a mouth-healthy diet.
Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables
These snacks are infinitely healthier than carbohydrates, as they contain plenty of vitamins and minerals that your teeth and gums need to thrive. Choose fruits and veggies that have a high volume of water, like melons, pears, and apples, since they keep your gums hydrated. Additionally, some of these items have a fibrous skin that naturally scrubs your teeth clean as you chew them.
Get Plenty of Dairy Products
Items like milk, cheese, and low-fat yogurt are wonderful for your oral health. They are rich in calcium and phosphates, which are minerals that strengthen your teeth, making it less likely that you’ll develop cavities. Also, they help trigger the production of saliva, which rinses leftover food particles and harmful bacteria out of your mouth.
Drink Water
Water is by far the healthiest beverage choice for your pearly whites. Unlike sugary drinks, it doesn’t bathe your teeth in sugar. Instead, it stimulates the flow of saliva and cleanses your mouth.
Chew Sugar-Free Gum
Chewing sugary gum gives your mouth a sugar bath, which is not nutritious in the slightest. The next time you’re in the checkout line, get some sugarless gum instead. More often than not, sugarless gum is sweetened with xylitol, a compound that can strengthen your teeth. Furthermore, the act of chewing gum releases saliva, which, as you might have realized by now, is incredibly beneficial.
Eat Sweets with Meals
Saliva production increases when you eat meals, so if you’re going to treat yourself to something sweet, it’s best to do so at dinner or lunch than as a snack in the middle of the afternoon. Otherwise, your teeth get a sugar bath from those sweets without any saliva to rinse out the sugar. This then attracts harmful bacteria that may cause gum disease and cavities.
Even though National Nutrition Month might be limited to March, there’s no reason why you can’t implement these tips into your everyday life year-round. Your teeth and gums will thank you for it!
About the Author
Dr. Megan McInnis obtained her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas. She then moved to Portland, OR to practice at RiverPlace Dental. She strongly believes in the power of preventive dentistry in keeping your smile healthy, and that one way to do that is by sticking to a mouth-healthy diet. To learn more advice on how to boost your oral health, visit her website.