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The Best And Worst Foods For Your Teeth

Your dentist is always telling you to brush and floss your teeth, and for a good reason! Taking care of your teeth is one of the most important things you can do in order to maintain your oral health. People often don’t realize that their diet also plays an important role in their dental health. Knowing which foods to eat and which to avoid is one of the best ways to prevent bad oral health. In this article, we will discuss the best and worst foods for your teeth so that you can make healthy choices when it comes to what you put in your mouth.

Best Foods For Your Teeth

By eating and drinking these types of food and drinks, you can maintain healthy teeth.

Water: Drinking plenty of water is good for your overall health, and it also happens to be good for your teeth! Water helps to rinse away food and bacteria that can cause cavities. It’s important to drink water throughout the day, especially after meals.

Green and Black Tea: Both green and black teas contain polyphenols, which are antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation in the body. These antioxidants can also help to protect your teeth against damage from bacteria.

Dairy Products: Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt contain calcium, which is essential for strong teeth. Calcium can help to repair damaged tooth enamel and prevent cavities.

High Fiber Foods: Eating foods that are high in fibre is good for your digestion, and it can also help to keep your teeth clean. Fibre helps to scrub away plaque and bacteria from your teeth, keeping them healthy.

Sugarless Chewing Gum: Chewing sugarless gum can help to increase saliva production, which is good for your teeth. Saliva helps to rinse away food and bacteria, and it also contains fluoride, which can help to prevent cavities.

Foods with Fluoride: Fluoride is a mineral that can help to strengthen tooth enamel and prevent cavities. You can find fluoride in many foods and drinks, such as seafood, tea, coffee, and eggs.

Strawberries: Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C, which is an essential nutrient for oral health. Vitamin C helps to build collagen, which is necessary for healthy gums. In addition, strawberries contain ellagic acid, which can help to protect your teeth against damage from bacteria.

The Worst Foods For Your Teeth

For optimal oral and dental health, avoid these kinds of food and drinks.

Sugary Candy and Sweets: Eating sugary candy and sweets can increase your risk of cavities. The sugar in these foods can feed the bacteria in your mouth, leading to tooth decay.

Soft Drinks & Sugary Juice: Soft drinks and sugary juices are full of sugar, which can damage your teeth. In addition, the acid in these drinks can eat away tooth enamel, making your teeth more susceptible to cavities.

Wine: Wine contains tannins, which can stain your teeth. In addition, wine is acidic and can erode tooth enamel.

Coffee: Coffee is a significant source of stains on teeth. In addition, coffee is acidic and can cause tooth enamel to wear away over time.

Citrus Fruits: Citrus fruits are full of acid, damaging tooth enamel. In addition, citric acid can increase your risk of developing cavities.

Bread: Bread contains carbohydrates that can turn into sugar in your mouth. The sugar then feeds the bacteria in your mouth and leads to cavities.

Sports Beverages: Sports drinks are often high in sugar and acid, both of which can damage your teeth. In addition, the colourants in these drinks can also lead to stains on your teeth.

Sugar: Cavities are caused primarily by sugar. It feeds the bacteria in your mouth and leads to tooth decay.

Dried Fruits: Dried fruits are often very sticky, which can cling to your teeth and lead to cavities. In addition, the sugar in dried fruits can also damage your teeth.

Pasta Sauce: Pasta sauce is often high in acid, which can damage tooth enamel. In addition, the colourants in pasta sauce can also lead to stains on your teeth.

Alcohol: Dry mouth is a common side effect of alcohol consumption. If you don’t have enough saliva in your mouth, bacteria can flourish and lead to cavities.

Ice: Chewing on ice can damage your tooth enamel and lead to cavities.

Sticky Foods: Sticky foods such as candy or gum can adhere to your teeth and cause cavities. In addition, sticky foods are often high in sugar, which can damage your teeth.

 

It’s clear that what you eat has a significant impact on your oral health. By avoiding the foods listed above and eating more of the good ones, you can keep your teeth healthy for years to come!

If you are in need of a dental check-up, contact us today to book your next appointment. We look forward to helping you maintain excellent dental health!

Dr. Elston Wong Portrait

About Dr. Elston Wong

Dr. Elston Wong completed his dental degree at The University of Toronto in 1999 before arriving in Barrie in 2002. After graduating, he continued to learn everything he could about dentistry. Now he has taken the time to share important information for anyone to read.

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