Having a great smile requires daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste as well as flossing. This is important for oral health but eating the correct foods I just as important. We should eat nutrients rich foods from a variety of food groups for healthy gums and teeth. For optimal oral health, we should be consuming a balanced diet consisting of fruits vegetables, dairy, grain, and proteins.
After speaking to The Smilist Dental, we’ve detailed the formula for healthy nutrition to achieve healthy teeth.
It is widely known that calcium is good for us. Whenever we think of bone health we know that calcium is very important for bones and teeth. If we don’t have enough calcium in our diets the body will start extracting it from the teeth and bones leading to tooth decay and fragile teeth. Lack of calcium can also lead to gum disease, so you need to get enough of it in your diet. You can get it from most dairy products like milk and yogurt but also green leafy vegetables, sardines, and almonds.
Phosphorus is another important mineral needed in the body. In order for calcium to work in your body, it needs vitamin D as well as phosphorus for proper absorption. So phosphorus is very important, and you can find it in yogurt, red meat, beans, and nuts.
Many people have a vitamin D deficiency which prevents them from absorbing calcium properly. If your body is low on vitamin D then you can’t absorb all the vitamin C you intake. Exposing yourself to sunlight for just 15 minutes per day can have a great impact on your vitamin D levels. It’s a quick easy way to get your daily amount of vitamin D you can also eat foods rich in vitamin D such as dairy products milk and yogurt.
Vitamin C does a great job of helping the immune system which of course means your teeth and gums as well. The collagen in the dentin of teeth relies on vitamin C for the maintenance of its structure and strength via synthesis.
There are countless benefits of vitamin C but the main one that helps your oral health is its ability to keep the connective tissues in the mouth. When your body has low vitamin C, you open yourself up to gum disease, also known as periodontal disease. This would cause some of your teeth to come loose and also results in swollen and bleeding gums. Vitamin C can be found in a lot of foods such as berries, citrus fruits peppers, and kale.
Because a moist mouth is important it should come as no surprise that water is one of the healthiest things you can drink if you want healthy teeth. The body is made up of 60% water so staying hydrated helps the body to distribute nutrients, support muscles, get rid of waste, and it also helps your teeth. The water helps to wash away food particles and keeps the saliva levels high.
The human body is an amazing machine that can give us longevity if we know what to do to maintain it. The foods that you choose to eat on a daily basis, affect your health and this includes the teeth and gums too. A diet of too much sugar like sodas and sports drinks greatly affects your teeth when it comes to tooth decay. Tooth decay is entirely preventable, but it is also the single most common chronic childhood disease.
Final words
It’s a good idea to limit the number of snacks you consume for better teeth. If you must snack between meals, make sure it is healthy snacks like fruits or vegetables or a piece of cheese or yogurt. Remember to have lots of water because of the saliva that aids in washing away food from the mouth and lessening the effects of the acids that are contained in the foods. These acids lead to the erosion of the enamel of the teeth causing tooth decay.
Proper nutrition is important for overall health, but also great dental health. The necessary vitamins and minerals in your healthy foods will help you to achieve this. With proper planning and consistency, you can have a healthy body and a great smile.