What we eat affects our teeth. The reality is our eating habits play a significant role in tooth decay, which is a diet-related disease.
Your mouth is your body’s initial point of contact with the nutrients you consume. What you put in your mouth impacts not only your general health but also your teeth and gums. So if your nutrition is poor, the first signs often appear in your mouth.
Check out these five functional foods for dental health:
1. Water
Drink it up! It’s calorie-free, there are no ingredient labels to stress over, and it’s almost free! Even better, tap water in most areas of Australia contains fluoride, one of the easiest and most beneficial ways to help prevent tooth decay. So making water your beverage of choice and regularly sipping it throughout the day, including with your meals, makes a real difference to the health of your teeth.
2. Dairy
Milk and other dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt, are low in sugar, which is good for your dental health. Plus, they contain protein and are full of calcium, which can help to strengthen your teeth.
3. Proteins
Phosphorus-rich foods such as meat, poultry, fish, milk and eggs help to strengthen your teeth and contain valuable protein.
4. Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are essential to any balanced diet and are good for your teeth. Since they are high in water and fibre, they help to balance the sugars they contain and help to clean your teeth. Chewing also helps to stimulate saliva production, which washes harmful acids and food particles away from your teeth.
5. Nuts
Nuts contain protein and minerals necessary for overall health. Also, nuts low in carbohydrates don’t increase your risk of cavities. Why? Because tooth decay is caused by acid-producing bacteria that are activated by carbs. Another benefit is that chewing nuts stimulates saliva production, reducing your tooth decay risk. Reference:
Mouth Healthy/American Dental Association (ADA)
Australian Dental Association (ADA)