Your nutrition plays a big role in your dental health. This is because the nutrients from food and drinks support the development of healthy tissue, especially the gums and jawbone tissue required to hold your teeth in place. The foods also protect and strengthen your teeth. Therefore, learning the various foods to promote good oral health is essential. You know the essential foods to reduce suffering from dental conditions like tooth decay and gingivitis and boost oral health with the information.

By consulting your dentist, you also receive additional details regarding maintaining a healthy diet and recommended treatment services. At Northridge Advanced Dentistry, you will receive the best treatment and advice on best-taking care of your teeth, especially by incorporating a healthy diet. Our team is trained to handle different dental issues and offer advice on the proper diet that boosts oral health.

  1. Hard and Crunchy Vegetables

Among the best ways to strengthen your teeth is by including hard and crunchy vegetables in your diet, especially as bitings and snacks. This is because their hardness engages your teeth when chewing and biting, giving them strength training. Furthermore, you also exercise your jaws when chewing, which is excellent in maintaining their strength and retaining a healthy face structure.

Hard and crunchy vegetables are also useful in stimulating saliva production for your benefit. The saliva produced in the process plays an important role in your oral hygiene because it contains enzymes to serve as antibacterial components. Moreover, a dry mouth provides a conducive environment for faster bacterial multiplication due to low saliva production, resulting in mouth odor and potential cavity formation.

Thus, chewing on your crunchy and hard vegetables provides several benefits that may otherwise be inaccessible to you when they are not included in your diet. Great examples of crunchy vegetables include carrots, cucumbers, and celery. You can also pickle them by storing them in vinegar for more flavor before consumption.

  1. Low-Sugar Content Drinks

Understandably, not all beverages are loaded with sugars, acids, and other additives that make them corrosive to teeth. Hence, you want to find sugar-free drinks to supplement your food for better dental health. Regular sipping on a sugary drink exposes your teeth to increased bacteria attacks because you introduce sugars with each sip.

After the sugar is stuck in your mouth, it serves as an energy source for the present bacteria, making them more prone to creating plaque and mouth odor. As a result, you become vulnerable to developing cavities and tooth decay faster, especially if you are used to taking many sips from sugary drinks without cleaning your mouth afterward.

  1. Dairy Products

Moreover, regular consumption of dairy products presents multiple benefits for your teeth. Firstly, milk contains calcium, an important component in strengthening your teeth, enamels, and jawbones. Therefore, you are less prone to broken teeth in case of an accident or suffering a broken jaw after high-impact collisions.

Additionally, yogurt and milk stimulate saliva production in your mouth for increased moisturization and fighting bacteria. The saliva is also useful in cleaning the mouth after you swallow, meaning that fewer food deposits are left between teeth for bacteria to act upon.

You should also note that yogurt contains probiotic components that supply useful bacteria in the mouth and subsequent organs like the stomach to promote better digestion. Thanks to the probiotics, you do not have to worry about suffering from acid reflux, nausea, or vomiting. In return, your teeth are protected from the corrosive bile present in vomit or acid reflux fluid because probiotics reduce the frequency of stomach upsets.

  1. Sugarless Black or Green Tea

For years, black and green teas have provided remedies for many health conditions, including stomach upsets, diet problems, and upholding good oral health. The tea contains tannin, a beneficial antioxidant that serves as an anti-bacterial element when consumed. Subsequently, you can expect less plaque to develop upon regular tea consumption, thus reducing the chances of cavities and tooth decay.

Further, tannins also help protect your gums from bacterial infestations for the same reason. This is important because many people neglect cleaning their gums when brushing, as the focus lies more on the teeth and tongue. Hence, sugarless black or green tea will be an excellent way to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

  1. Assorted Nuts

Dentists also highly recommend Assorted nuts as a healthy snack alternative to crunchy bites because they contain lower sugar levels. On top of this, you receive the health benefits of exercising your jaws and teeth because they are hard and crunchy.

While nuts are healthy, you should remember that most contain high-fat levels and significant sugar trances. Due to this, consuming them in large quantities may cause unintended weight gain and tooth exposure to sugar. Further, chewing on nuts increases the chances of having particles stuck between the teeth.

Therefore, you want to promote optimum oral health by brushing after consuming your portion or swirling water in your mouth to ensure no particles are left stuck between the teeth.

  1. Lean Protein Products

Lean protein from fish, chicken, beef, or mutton is also important to include in your diet, as you will receive multiple nutrients that support good oral hygiene. For example, beef is rich in phosphorus, iron, and calcium to strengthen your teeth and nourish your gums.

The protein products are also beneficial in helping you exercise your jaws when chewing, as they require extra engagement compared to soft foods. However, you want to remain cautious of their tendency to remain between your teeth, as they may attract bacteria to the enamel. Hence, you can use dental floss or a toothbrush to remove any food particles.

  1. Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, and lemons provide a rich source of vitamin C when added to your diet. The component is crucial in maintaining good oral health because it supports healthy gums and strong tooth positioning.

Vitamin C prevents dental conditions like gingivitis and scurvy, all associated with weak, inflamed, and infected gums. Due to these symptoms, patients suffering from unhealthy gums may also begin to notice their teeth becoming loose and eventually falling off. Therefore, this would require you to undergo additional restorative treatment to replace the fallen teeth.

You can avoid undergoing complicated conditions by including a healthy portion of citrus fruits into your diet once every few days for your wellbeing. However, if you are sensitive to the acidity in the fruit, you can substitute them with other foods providing the same value.

  1. Leafy Vegetables

Leafy green vegetables are packed with nutritional value for anyone looking to improve their oral health. For example, kale is rich in iron and fiber, essential in blood formation and improved digestion. The benefits are applicable in boosting oral health because iron is also helpful in strengthening the teeth and gums. As a result, you do not have to worry about experiencing gingivitis or other dental conditions arising from weak gums.

By helping digestion, leafy greens also protect you from stomach upsets that may otherwise trigger corrosive vomit and acid to contact your teeth. Hence, your teeth do not have to go through reduced enamel strength.

  1. Whole Grain Products

Whole grain products are a better alternative to sugary pastries, as they are low on sugar and provide fiber to the body. For example, instead of picking white bread, you can choose whole grain brown bread options to reduce your sugar intake. In return, your teeth are less exposed to spreading bacteria meaning that you can expect better dental health.

Furthermore, the fiber in whole grain products is also beneficial in easing digestion, which is necessary for good overall health. Patients who switch to a whole grain diet therefore report less indigestion, acid reflux and excess gastric gas that may affect your dental health negatively. You will also have an easier time cleaning your mouth without necessarily brushing by swirling water around because most whole-grain foods are loosely packed. This means that they do not stick easily on your teeth and reduce the chances of trapped food particles between them.

  1. Vitamins and Supplements

Some people may live in areas where accessing different food varieties is challenging, especially if the recommended foods are not staples. Therefore, exploring vitamin and supplement options to provide the required nutrients is an excellent alternative, as your body will use them to strengthen teeth and overall good health.

Examples of supplements and vitamins include vitamin C tablets, as they will help maintain good health for your gums. Moreover, cod liver oil contains several nutrients, including vitamin A and Omega 3, vital in supporting your health. Additional sources of these nutrients can be found in fish and nuts, especially in their organic form. Thanks to the vitamins you receive, your teeth are protected from infections and bacterial attacks primarily because your immunity receives a boost.

What to Do If You are Allergic to Some Foods

If you are allergic to foods that may otherwise provide excellent nutrition sources for your teeth and general body health, you want to disclose the information to your dentist as soon as possible. Informing them of your limitations can help them recommend alternatives that provide similar benefits.

Having the option for alternative recommendations is helpful, especially if the diet requirements are for a younger patient. This is because they may be unable to express themselves clearly when seeking an alternative. Thus, an adult can accompany the young patient to ensure the dentist’s notes are considered and implemented at home.

How to Transition from Sugary and Unhealthy Foods to the Recommended Diet

Naturally, transitioning from consuming sugary foods that are harmful to you into eating healthier food options is challenging, especially when used to the lifestyle. Therefore, your dentist will recommend a smooth transition that does not leave you feeling restricted. This is because you are more likely to rebound and overindulge in harmful diets, resulting in backtracking.

The best way to begin your transition is by reducing the quantity of sugary or unhealthy food you consume rather than cutting off the intake entirely. For example, if you used to have two glasses of sodas with your meals, you can reduce it to one glass and then half a glass until you overcome the need to have soda altogether.

Similarly, reducing the frequency of consuming an unhealthy diet is essential to your transition, as it trains your brain to wire differently. Thus, you can cut down your snacking times from several times a day to once or twice until the dependency ends. Over time, you will reduce the need to consume junk food, meaning you are better positioned to make a full transition into the recommended diet.

While making your transition, you will still be consuming reduced amounts of sugary/unhealthy meals. Due to this, you want to remain consistent in cleaning your teeth regularly to reduce the chances of straight teeth deterioration.

The oral hygiene routine should continue even after your transition into a completely healthy diet. Any food particles left between your teeth create a potential breeding ground for harmful bacteria. By following the tips discussed above and any other pointers issued by your dentist, you can expect prolonged oral health, including healthy gums and jawbones.

Find a Northridge Dentist Near Me

Dentists understand the importance of a healthy diet to your oral wellbeing. Therefore, your dentist helps you identify the best food options for your teeth, especially when you need good nutritional value and less exposure to bacteria. When consulting your dentist, you want to ensure they understand the value of the information they are about to provide and the positive effects you hope to see after incorporating the advice. At Northridge Advanced Dentistry, you have access to a team of knowledgeable and experienced dentists who value your wellbeing. We have also helped hundreds of clients looking for information on the best food for teeth in Northridge, California, making us a trusted option. For more details on strengthening your dental health, contact us today at 818-701-3010.