We all know that maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is important. It keeps your body functioning properly and helps prevent illness. What you may not know, is a balanced diet is also important for healthy teeth – the food you eat can affect how your teeth function.
That doesn’t mean you have to swear off your next goody. Treating yourself to sweets every once in a while won’t cause lasting damage, but poor nutrition over time allows bacteria to grow. You may feel sharp or dull aches and pain in your teeth if the bacteria has impacted your teeth significantly.
It’s important to recognize the steps to making informed and beneficial choices for your diet to help preserve your oral health.
What Foods are Good for Your Teeth?
Having a balanced diet is crucial because many of the vitamins and minerals in food help strengthen your teeth and promote saliva production. Some examples of beneficial vitamin and mineral-rich foods for your teeth include:
- Apples
- Nuts
- Yogurt
- Leafy greens
Fluoride is also crucial for a balanced diet. This is why it’s added into our drinking water and why dentists recommend toothpastes with fluoride. It strengthens the enamel and makes your teeth less susceptible to damage from acids. Calcium and phosphorate are minerals that function similarly to fluoride in terms of their role for our teeth, and can be found in foods like milk and almonds.
Fruits and vegetables contain high levels of fiber and water, which are beneficial to your oral health because they clean teeth, promote saliva production and contain vitamins A and C which strengthen your gums and enamel.
What Foods are Bad for Your Teeth?
Your favourite sweets can be included in a balanced diet, but it’s important to ensure your teeth are protected from the harmful effects of excess sugar. The combination of bacteria and sugar creates an acidic reaction which decays your teeth. Examples of food to limit are:
- Alcohol
- Sweets
- Fruit Juice
- Soda
Your dentist can assess how your diet has impacted your oral health and help treat any potential damage.
Oral Tips
Dental hygiene goes beyond the aesthetic factor. Keeping a consistent routine contributes to the overall health of your body and mental wellbeing.
Although nutrition is a key factor in protecting your teeth, the steps in your cleaning routine are just as important. Remember to visit your dentist at Kildonan Crossing Dental Centre at least twice a year, floss daily and brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day.
As the saying goes, “there is no health without oral health!” It is essential to prioritize an effective dental routine, and our Winnipeg dentists are here for support along your journey. If you have any questions regarding your teeth or would like recommendations for your oral care, book an appointment today. We’re happy to talk about our favourite teeth-friendly foods!