Of course, you know very well that bright, shiny, white teeth are the product of brushing, flossing, and avoiding sugary foods. Additionally, it is well known that eating crunchy foods can help you keep your teeth clean for a brighter smile. However, what you might not have known is that green, leafy vegetables actually work very well in helping you maintain a bright, white smile.
In fact, all you have to do is google “dentist Kwinana” and ask any of the best dentists in town, and you will discover that leafy vegetables are actually one of the most effective tools at maintaining a white set of teeth. Furthermore, there are a few that work better than all the others because they have high quantities of a variety of key features, such as fiber and vitamins.
1 Kale
One of the best foods available for your teeth, kale contains lots of fiber, which scrubs your teeth clean of plaque as you chew. Additionally, it is low in sugar. When sugar coats your teeth, it becomes food for bacteria, and an overabundance of bacteria can lead to cavities. Because kale is low in sugar, it is even better for your teeth than such things as apples, which scrub your teeth but also have fructose, a type of sugar. For it to work best, you should chew it fully and switch sides as you chew.
- Spinach
Spinach works much the same way as kale works. Vitamin B helps nourish your gums, potentially fighting gum disease. Additionally, folic acid helps keep your gums healthy. It is, however, the fiber and the friction that helps brush your teeth clean as you chew.
One thing to note about spinach is that it contains oxalic acids, which do not dissolve in water or with saliva. This type of acid can collect on your teeth in such a way that your teeth feel gritty. If this happens, you can cook your spinach a little longer to counteract the oxalic acids. Additionally, if you sprinkle lemon juice on raw spinach leaves, you can neutralize the acids, leaving nothing but rich fiber for your smile.
- Celery
Celery might not be considered a leafy vegetable because we generally eat the stalk. This prejudice against the leaf is actually more of a result of marketing, which emphasizes the stalk rather than the leaves. However, celery leaves are tasty in salads, soups, and sandwiches. In terms of dental health and hygiene, celery has a variety of benefits.
They stalk, for instance, brushes your enamel, and the leaves are rich in calcium and vitamin E. Calcium is well known to help keep your teeth strong. However, vitamin E plays a critical role in helping to fight periodontal disease. Additionally, it helps fight to swelling of the gum tissue.
- Lettuce
Romaine lettuce is good for your teeth as it contains folate. Additionally, it contains healthy amounts of antioxidants, which help improve tooth strength. Calcium contained in lettuce also helps maintain strong teeth. Moreover, just two cups of romaine lettuce provide nearly 10 percent of the recommended daily allowance of fiber. This fiber acts like a squeegee and scrubs your teeth clean. Of course, when chewing, you want to make sure to chew on both sides of your mouth. Additionally, if it is socially acceptable, you might also chew with your front teeth and give them a good scrubbing. Of course, doing this will likely leave bits of lettuce in the creases of your teeth, so flossing is required.
- Collard greens
One serving of collard greens delivers a whopping 268 mg of calcium, making it one of the best vegetables for a mineral known to help keep your teeth strong and healthy. In terms of keeping those pearly whites shining and glistening, the fiber in collard greens ranks at approximately 1.4 grams. This amount of fiber might not rank up there with so-called high-fiber vegetables, but it represents enough to help brush those teeth clean.
- Arugula
Often called the new kale, arugula offers all the great benefits of kale without the strong earthy aroma that many do not enjoy. For instance, like spinach and kale, it is high in vitamin K, which helps in the production of osteocalcin.
Osteocalcin is a protein your body uses to protect itself against the degeneration of bones and teeth. As people get older, their bones show a decrease in osteocalcin. As such, it is important to eat foods, such as arugula, that help replenish this vital protein and keep your teeth strong and rooted in your gums.
- Bok choy
Another leafy, green vegetable rich in vitamin K is bok choy, a type of Chinese cabbage. This vegetable offers high amounts of folate and also vitamin A. One aspect of a nice smile is shiny, glistening teeth. Vitamin A is critical to keeping the moisture in your mouth at the right levels. Additionally, it helps protect against dry mouth. By keeping your mouth moistened, it helps your mouth heal fast and look good.