The Best Foods and Drinks That Are Great For Your Teeth!

We consider the impact that the foods and drinks we consume are having on our bodies, but not always our teeth! However, there are so many foods that can negatively impact the health of our teeth, mouth and gums, as the enamel can easily be broken down, specifically including foods that are sugary or acidic.

So, we’re going to introduce a few of the best foods and drinks that are great for your teeth! Life is all about balance, and it’s normal to eat sugary or acidic foods, but just keeping them to a minimum where you can is always a good thing to do, along with eating some foods and drinking some drinks that are great for your teeth. So, let’s get into it!

Water!

First up we have a really simple one, that is water! Water is a really fantastic thing to drink, as it doesn’t contain anything damaging and it can help to wash away residue from the more damaging things you are consuming.

For example, if you are eating something really sugary, and don’t have any water after, the sugar will all sit on the teeth and combine with the bacteria in the mouth to produce acid, which can break down the enamel and lead to things like tooth decay and tooth loss.

Drinking water definitely doesn’t replace brushing, flossing and using mouthwash twice a day, but it’s a great tool to use throughout the day to help minimize the damage until it is time for your full oral health routine. If you wear Invisalign aligners, this is especially important, as you will be preventing nasty substances being sat in your aligners that can cause damage.

Water is also great for all different elements of your health, and the benefits for your teeth are an added bonus! So, aim to drink 7-8 glasses of water a day, as well as a glass after each meal and snack, and you will be helping your teeth to stay healthy.

Dairy

Next up we have dairy products! They contain calcium and phosphates that provide you with the minerals you need to rebuild tooth enamel and keep your teeth feeling strong. It’s best to stick to low sugar versions of dairy products as not only is it better for your teeth, but it’s also likely they will contain more of the good ingredients for your health and teeth.

Having a glass of milk once a day, having a cheese sandwich for lunch and some greek yoghurt for a snack is a great way to get your dairy intake for the day! Even something as simple as a sprinkling of cheese on top of your pasta is a great thing to do. So, stock up the fridge with some additional dairy products and you will be doing your teeth a favour.

Green Tea

Another great thing you can consume for your teeth is green tea. They contain plenty of antioxidants that have bacteria killing properties, lowering the level of acidity in the mouth and therefore, protecting your enamel! So, drink a couple of cups of green tea and you’ll be helping your teeth. There are also plenty of other health benefits, such as improving cognitive function and helping to burn fat. Try to avoid any sugary green teas as this could counteract the benefits, so stick to plain green tea.

Crunchy Fruits and Vegetables

Another good thing to consume is crunchy fruits and vegetables. Not only do crunchy fruits and veg, like apples, celery, carrots and peppers, contain great nutrients to help your overall health, but their crunchy texture also helps your teeth. They contain a lot of water which helps to clean the teeth, but they also help to strengthen the jaw and stimulate the production of saliva, along with finally scrubbing away food residue or bacteria from the surface of the teeth.

The benefits of eating crunchy fruits and vegetables are certainly multifaceted which is great. We love to snack on crunchy vegetables dipped in hummus, or slices of apple with low sugar peanut butter. Cooking these kinds of fruits and vegetables down if you don’t like them raw still helps to give your teeth good nutrients, you just don’t get the benefit of them actually cleaning the teeth.

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are a great food to consume in your diet as they are rich in a wide range of vitamins, particularly A and C, both known to improve the health of your gums and also fight off bacteria in the mouth. Keeping your gums and jaw healthy is key to having good overall oral health, and eating your leafy greens is one way to do that! Like with many other foods and drinks here, leafy greens also have a really positive impact on all other components of your health, so should be an important part of your diet.

So, when you go to the supermarket, stock up on some spinach, kale and rocket then eat throughout the week. Cooking into pasta sauces or blending into smoothies are a great idea if you’re not a big fan of them on their own! This is an easy trick to help you implement more of these superfoods into your diet.