The Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth

Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth: If you are what you consume, then your teeth and gums are even more reflective of your diet. When you consume saccharine and stodgy foods, you are not only nourishing yourself. You are also nourishing the microorganisms in your mouth that can cause tooth decay and gum disease. Plaque is a thin, invisible, and adhesive layer of microorganisms and other substances. It encompasses all of your teeth's surfaces. When carbohydrates or starches in the pharynx interact with plaque, acids are produced. These acids can attack your teeth for at least 20 minutes after ingesting. The tough enamel on the surface of teeth can be eroded by repeated assaults. This contributes to tooth decay. Plaque bacteria also induce an inflammatory response. This causes the destruction of the gingival, bone, and other tooth-supporting structures.

Certain substances promote tooth decay. Other nutrients help prevent plaque formation. Here are some substances to search out, and others to avoid. Here are defining few Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth.

Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth

The good guys

Some suggested foods:

• Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. The American Dental Association (ADA) reports that fiber-rich foods help keep teeth and gums clean. They also cause salivation. This is your greatest natural defense against cavities and gum disease, next to excellent dental hygiene. Approximately 20 minutes after consuming a sugary or starchy food, your saliva begins to neutralize the acids and enzymes assaulting your teeth. There are trace amounts of calcium and phosphate in saliva. Therefore, it restores minerals to areas of teeth where they were lost due to bacterial acids.

• Cheese, milk, plain yogurt, and other dairy products. Cheese is another source of saliva. The calcium and phosphates in milk, cheese, and other dairy products help replenish any minerals your teeth may have lost as a result of consuming other foods. Additionally, they help restore tooth enamel.

• Green and black teas. Both of these teas contain polyphenols that interact with microorganisms in plaque. These substances either eliminate or inhibit bacterial growth. This prevents tooth-eroding bacteria from developing and producing acid. Depending on the type of water used to prepare the tea, a cup of tea may also contain fluoride.

• Sugarless chewing gum. This is another great saliva maker that removes food particles from your mouth.

• Foods with fluoride. Fluoridated water, or any product made with fluoridated water, is beneficial for your teeth. This includes dehydrated stews and powdered beverages (as long as they do not contain a lot of sugar). Fluoride can also be added to commercially prepared foods such as poultry, seafood, and powdered cereals.

The bad guys

Stay away from these:

• Sticky candies and sweets. If you consume treats, choose those that leave your mouth swiftly. Therefore, lollipops, caramels, and cough drops containing refined sugar are unacceptable. The cavity-preventing effects of chocolate have been extensively publicized (primarily through studies funded by the confectionery industry). This is not completely proved. However, according to the ADA, chocolate is more easily removed from teeth than other confectionery. There are some health advantages to dark chocolate (70% cacao). Some studies have demonstrated that chocolate is not as unhealthy as other sweet indulgences.

• Starchy foods that can get stuck in your mouth. Soft breads and potato chips, for instance, can get trapped between your teeth. 

• Carbonated soft drinks. These drinks are the leading source of added sugar among kids and teens. They are loaded with sugar. And most soft drinks have phosphoric and citric acids that wear away tooth enamel.

• Substances that dry out your mouth. These include alcohol and many medicines. If medicines are the cause, talk with your dental care provider about getting a fluoride rinse, or a fluoride gel for brushing your teeth.

Also read: Diet and my teeth

Eat for a healthy mouth

• Consume sweet foods with meals. Your saliva production increases during meals. This reduces the effect of acid production and removes food particles from the pharynx.

  Limit snacking between meals. If you feel the need for a refreshment, select something nutritious. Consider chomping sugarless gum afterwards to stimulate salivation and neutralize food acids.

  Drink more water. Water containing fluoride can help prevent tooth decay. Check the label for fluoride content if you choose bottled water.

  You should brush your teeth twice daily.

• Floss once a day.