Diet That Is Good for Teeth Everybody knows that eating sticky, sugary foods is bad for your teeth. In fact, you probably heard from your mom just about every day of your life as a kid, "Don't eat that... do you want your teeth to rot out of your head?!" But did you know that sticky, sugary, gummy foods aren't the only foods that can be bad for your teeth? Did you further know that there are foods that are extra good for your teeth? It's true. There is such a thing as a diet that is good for teeth and a diet that's bad for teeth, and the latter doesn't just include candies, cookies, and cakes. In order to prevent tooth decay, loss of enamel, and other damage to teeth, it's important not only to limit sugary foods and maintain a healthy daily dental hygiene routine; it's also important to eat foods that provide all the nutrients your teeth need to remain healthy and function properly. Top dentists in Clearwater recommend following these important tips when developing a diet that is good for your teeth and all of their surrounding structures. Foods
good for teeth
Not surprisingly, foods that contain calcium are very beneficial to the health of your teeth. If you want healthy teeth for a lifetime (and who doesn't?), opt for foods that contain an abundance of calcium, such as milk, cheeses, lean chicken, and nuts. Calcium protects the enamel on your teeth. Another important nutrient for teeth is phosphorous, which also aids in protecting tooth enamel. Happily, all of these calcium-rich foods also contain phosphorous. Crunchy fruits and vegetables are also great for your teeth's health. Celery, apples, pears, carrots, to name just a few, are an excellent means of cleaning out between teeth. They also are water-rich foods, meaning they help to keep your mouth well hydrated. Proper hydration is a requirement of teeth because it helps to wash away bad bacteria. Beverages that are good for teeth include water, unsweetened tea, and milk. Although many fruit juices contain vitamins that are good for teeth, many of them contain sugar which gets left behind in the mouth, causing that bad bacteria to be deposited all over your teeth. If you're going to drink beverages that contain sugar, even if it's natural sugar, use a straw instead of just drinking from the glass. Straws cause beverages to go directly down the throat, largely bypassing the teeth. Foods bad for teeth Another truth that probably doesn't come as a surprise to you is that starchy, sticky, and/or sugary foods are just plain bad for teeth. First of all, they're sticky and sugary (duh!), which means they're depositing high amounts of bacteria on your teeth.
Processed/packaged foods such as potato chips, pretzels, and crackers are also bad for teeth because they leave lots of bad bacteria in teeth, especially in between them. Hard candies, lollipops, and even lozenges that contain sugar are among the worst types of foods you can eat because these keep sugar in your mouth for a long time as they're dissolving. Timing
matters
Surprisingly to many, how often you eat does have an affect on cavity prevention and the overall health of your teeth. The more often you snack, the more bacteria gets introduced into your mouth and the greater your risk of tooth decay. Good bacteria in the mouth convert carbs and sugars from food to acids. When those acids occur on the teeth, that's when problems can begin. Acids band together to launch an assault on the enamel of your teeth, which weakens teeth and opens them up to decay. Try limiting eating to three meals a day and snacks to a minimum. If you're a sixsmall-meals-a-day eater, be sure to brush and floss more often than those who eat three larger meals. Good teeth aren't born; they're made. In fact, good teeth are one of the most controllable parts of the human body. For the most part, maintaining the health of your teeth is all about you... observing a healthy routine of twice-daily brushing, once-daily flossing, and bi-annual visits to your family dentist. But that's not all. What you eat is also important to the health of your teeth. Schedule an appointment with a top dentist in Clearwater to learn more about foods that are healthy for teeth, gums, and all of their surrounding structures.