Some types of food can actually make your teeth stronger!
Usually, we know exactly what types of food could harm our teeth and gums. Like sugar or lemons. But did you know that some types of food can actually make your teeth and gums stronger? Find out more below.
Veggies and dairy
Not all vegetables are good for your teeth but did you know that crunchy vegetables can remove plaque from your teeth? Carrots, broccoli or some pieces of bell peper are a great snack to have if you want to make sure your teeth stay healthy. Dairy is also a good option because it will make your tooth enamel, the outside of your tooth, stronger. Products like milk and yogurt are high in calcium and protein which helps to fight cavities. That means that cheese, for example, is actually pretty healthy for your teeth!
Leafy vegetables like spinach and lettuce are beneficial to your gums’ health. That is because they’re folate-rich. Folates help strengthen your enamel and help fight certain gum diseases or gum inflammation.
Garlic, onions and mushroom
These aren’t just delicious to add to your meal for flavor, they’re also really good for you! Catrise Austin, DDS, a dental expert with Listerine, told Well + Good that both onions and garlic can fight bacteria that are responsible for cavities, tooth decay and gum inflammation. Garlic can even help prevent bad breath (and not just cause it). In the long-term, that is. Mushrooms, especially Shiitake mushrooms, get rid of plaque and keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Fruit
Strawberries aren’t just a delicious type of fruit, they can also help with oral hygiene. These little sweet fruits can make your teeth whiter. And the same goes for apples. Both have malik acid in them, an acid that, according to Austin, has whitening properties. But apples don’t just make your teeth whiter. Fruits like apples and pears contain more fibers. And because you have to chew these fiber-filled fruits properly, your gums are stimulated and the production of saliva increases. When the amount of saliva in your mouth increases, you reduce the risk of cavities.
So if you want to improve your oral hygiene, eating these types of foods is a good way to do it!
Also read: This is why you shouldn’t rinse with water after brushing your teeth
Source: Well + Good | Image: Unsplash, Caju Gomes