Most of us know that good nutrition is vital to living longer. However, you may be surprised to learn that good nutrition benefits our teeth too. It’s true! Many healthy foods build up our teeth as we eat them. Like the rest of our bodies, our teeth require nutrients. Adding the foods listed below into your diet will help keep your smile healthy and bright and they’re delicious, too!
Cheese
Cheeses, like most dairy foods, are rich in calcium, which helps build and strengthen our bones and teeth. Since our bodies can’t produce their own calcium — we get this mineral only by consuming it and we use it quickly, choosing cheese as a snack is a good way to ensure you’re getting enough calcium in your diet.
Apples
An apple a day may keep the doctor away but Dr. Bruce Spink of Spink Dentistry in Birmingham AL wants you to eat them too! Eating too many carbohydrates, starches, and sugary foods can degrade and compromise your tooth enamel due to acids they produce in our mouths. Eating a juicy apple instead can satisfy your “sweet tooth” while being good for your body and your teeth. Apples are loaded with vitamin C which is good for reducing inflammation. People suffering from periodontitis (gum disease) can reduce the swelling in their gums by adding extra vitamin C in their diets through eating apples. If you don’t like the taste of apples, there are other fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C too, including broccoli, oranges, and green peppers.
Fish
While you may get plenty of dairy in your diet to give you calcium, your body cannot absorb the it without the help of Vitamin D. Eating vitamin-D rich foods, such as tuna and salmon, helps your body absorb the calcium necessary to build those strong teeth and bones. However there is another excellent source of vitamin D that is free and available to all of us: the rays of the sun! Enjoying time outside in the sun (with a good sunscreen applied for safety) does wonders for the growth and continued health of skin, hair, nails, teeth, and more!
Oatmeal
Eating whole grain oatmeal can not only help you lower your risk of gum disease, it can also improve the overall health of your heart. A word of advice, however: most pre-packaged flavored oatmeal packets are full of added sugar. Too much sugar will feed the bacteria living in your mouth that destroy enamel.To keep your oatmeal as healthy as possible, we recommend cooking your own plain oats and adding in some berries. You can also mix in cinnamon to sweeten it up.
Enjoying these tasty, healthy foods can not only improve your dental health, but that of your body as well. Be sure to have regular dental examinations as part of your health routine by checking in with Dr. Spink in Birmingham! Schedule a complimentary consultation online or call 205.235.5043 today!