Many Americans woke up to the importance of oral care when, for many months during the pandemic, they were deprived of access to quality dental care. Oral care is not just a matter of maintaining the health of your teeth, it is also crucial in securing your overall health. Having the proper diet can go a long way to giving you optimum tooth health.
Dr. Hal Arnold observes that because your diet can directly impact the state of your teeth, simply having a good oral care regimen is not enough to protect your teeth. The first thing to do is to avoid specific foods and then refocus your diet toward foods that benefit your oral health.
Foods to Avoid
Foods high in sugar and acid are generally bad for your teeth because they weaken your enamel. Although this can be mitigated by brushing and flossing, this will only reduce the impact of these foods rather than eliminate the problem. If you don’t brush your teeth within an hour of eating those sugary or acidic foods, you will brush away the enamel that they have weakened. At a minimum, you should brush your teeth before sleeping.
Healthline believes that some of the worst foods for your health are sour candies, refined bread, alcohol, carbonated drinks, ice, citrus, potato chips, and dried fruits.
Foods to Eat
There are some nutritional cares for damaged teeth. Eating healthy foods rich in calcium, such as milk and cheese, is essential. Calcium is, of course, crucial to nourishing your teeth. Foods rich in calcium improve the production of saliva, which helps to clean your teeth. However, you must partner these foods with foods rich in vitamins A, D, and K2. This means having a diet with organ meats, cod liver oil, fish, eggs, mushrooms, natural, sugar-free yogurt, and lots of sun. Vitamins A, D, and K2 help to ensure that the calcium you consume goes toward building oral health.
You should also eat lots of leafy greens, carrots, nuts, and fruits. You should also drink lots of water. Many people eat a low amount of vegetables. They are essential for the production of saliva, among other health benefits. You want leafy greens like spinach, collard greens, and kale. They are rich in vitamin B, calcium, and folic acid. Many people like to add dressing to their leafy greens, but many dressings are not suitable for you. Try using olive oil or some healthier alternatives as dressing.
Fruits are not just nutritious, they can be a healthy way to transition from eating processed sugar. So if you have sugar cravings, you can have fruit instead. Fruits such as saliva also encourage the production of saliva. Celery has the additional benefit of helping to clean your teeth. Carrots and celery are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, and fiber.
Conclusion
Overall, you need to maintain a healthy diet for you to optimize your tooth health. That diet has to be designed around your health status, so you should speak to your dentist to help you craft an appropriate diet.
