Food Friends and Enemies for Your Teeth

Soft Teeth

A well-balanced nutrient-rich diet is critical for good health. Although our diet largely includes food that helps metabolism, sometimes it strays from maintaining good dental health.

Teeth love calcium

Bones and teeth are largely made of calcium. The tooth enamel is often weakened by added sugars, acidic juices, soda and other food constituents. Calcium in saliva helps in remineralizing the enamel and enhancing protection. Milk, yogurt, tofu, kefir, cheese, and almonds are excellent sources of calcium for the body.

Fibre means exercise and more

Have you noticed how you have to chew more when you eat an apple? High-fibre foods make you chew more; hence, providing a good exercise for your jaw. They also increase the production of saliva, which neutralizes any destructive acids in the mouth. Furthermore, the fibre from these foods removes plaque and cleans the teeth.

Water cleans and heals

While magazines and newspapers may recommend 8 litres of water a day, it is true that every person has a unique requirement based on body type. Drink a glass of water whenever you feel the urge. If your consumption is less, do take a sip every half hour and swish it around in your mouth to rid any sugars, acids, germs, or plaque.

Sugar is a sweet fiend

The amount of sugar in candies can not only damage the enamel but can also create a breeding ground for germs in your mouth. Soft drinks, energy drinks, juices with added sugars, and most canned beverages are all enemies for your oral health. In fact, even cough drops with sweeteners can damage your teeth.

An alternative would be to consume fresh-baked desserts with low sugar, fresh fruits, sugar-free cough syrup, and sugar-free beverages.

Teeth are no diamonds

If you try to bite on something hard, you may end up fracturing your teeth. These foods include ice, nuts, unpopped popcorn kernels, and more. Avoid foods that stress your teeth. If it is too hard to be broken by a knife, then it is not right for your teeth.

Chips and cola are frenemies

How many times have you snuggled on the couch to binge on chips and cola while watching your favourite movie? This duo is bad news for your teeth as the phosphoric acid in soft drinks weakens the enamel, the sugar breeds bacteria, and the chips get trapped between your teeth. Overall, it is a deadly combination that can destroy your oral health over time.