Food Items that Help Strengthen Teeth

Good dental health involves good oral and food hygiene along with balanced meals. When it comes to one’s teeth it’s easy to understand that some food items such as sugar are more perilous than others. But have you ever wondered which food items can actually be beneficial for teeth and oral health? For the record, the most harmful foods for the teeth are those that contain the most sugar. The sugar in the food will be absorbed by the bacteria that are in the mouth. This sugar will then be metabolized into acids that will demineralize the enamel. This demineralization will create holes in the teeth, and other bacteria will then be lodged there. This is how cavities are formed. Mentioned below are some food items that can assist one gain healthy teeth.

Cheese - Cheese is a real protective food item especially for the teeth. It is rich in calcium and thus help re-mineralizes the enamel which is essential to avoid cavities. Thus it is recommended that one should eat cheese at the end of the meal and also purchase a brand that has high calcium content.

Fish - Fish contain fluoride, which strengthens the enamel and helps fight cavities. In fact, fluoride also protects the teeth by making them more resistant to the attacks of bacteria that are present in dental plaque. Thus do not hesitate to include fish in your diet twice a week.

Green vegetables - Green vegetables contain no sugar and acid thus if one wants to take care of their teeth then they should not hesitate to consume green vegetables. Citrus fruits, apple juice or tomatoes which are generally considered very healthy and rightly so may cause demineralization of the teeth. Finally, green vegetables are often rich in calcium and fluoride and also vitamins that are good for the gums.

Dark chocolate - This may be a surprise but dark chocolate is not exactly an enemy of one’s teeth. There are tannins in cocoa that have a positive effect on teeth; it can also help neutralize certain bacteria.

Butter - Rich in calcium, butter is also beneficial for one’s teeth. Butter can help in the re-mineralization of the enamel. However, only moderate consumption is recommended because of its high lipid content.

Meat - Meat is a good for oral health as it does not contain carbohydrates (sugars). It also provides amino acids, vitamins and trace elements. Eating meat also stimulates the production of saliva which plays a protective role for the teeth.

Nuts, hazelnuts and peanuts - Nut are rich in calcium and fluoride which is beneficial for the teeth. Also because of the hard texture of nuts they have to be chewed which increase the production of saliva and thus neutralize acids.

Cruciferous vegetables - Vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or broccoli are rich in vitamin C, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Thus they not only protect the gums but also help in mineralization of the enamel.

Pulses - Pulses like split peas, chickpeas, dried beans contain fluoride. Fluoride is beneficial for protection against cavities and for the mineralization of teeth.

Carrots and Cabbage - Raw carrot and cabbage can also be beneficial for oral health for the simple reason that they promote chewing. Food items that promote chewing enable manual mechanical rubbing which helps remove dental plaque, food debris and bacteria. Also chewing promotes the creation of saliva that neutralizes the acids that have formed in the tooth enamel.