Looking after your teeth is vital for your overall health, which is something many of us overlook and one of the main contributors to gum disease and tooth decay. This, coupled with a poor oral hygiene routine can have an impact on your jaw and bone structure.
There are certain foods that can actually promote strong bones and teeth, as well as those which can have a negative impact on your health – here we take a look at some of each….
Teeth love…. Dairy – Cheese – This is a fairly well-known tooth-healthy food, packed with calcium and easy for your teeth to breakdown. Research conducted in the United States found that cheese triggers the mouth to produce more alkaline salvia, which helps to keep your teeth clean, neutralising any harmful plaque acid by lowering the ph level in your mouth. If you’re currently undergoing fixed braces treatment, cheese is one of the foods you can continue to enjoy, as it does not become stuck in your brace.
Teeth hate….Sports drinks/electrolyte drinks – Often marketed as having numerous health benefits, sports drinks are not quite what you think. Packed with sugars and salts, electrolyte drinks aim to replace the salts you lose when you sweat and replenish your energy stocks. However, the sugar content in these drinks is what is responsible for this energy boost, which also comes with a catch – it rots your teeth. If you are an athlete and you need to consume these drinks regularly, make sure you are not leaving it too many hours after consumption to brush your teeth, as enamel begins to break down very quickly after consumption.
Teeth hate…Crackers – Crackers are the opposite of cheese. Whilst cheese promotes the production of saliva, crackers dry up your mouth and keep this production to a minimum (perhaps this is why the two are such a winning combination!). Crackers also contain refined carbs which rapidly convert to sugars. As they’re so dry, they can also easily become stuck inbetween the gaps in your braces.
Teeth love… High fibre foods – Although they can be difficult for your teeth to breakdown, high fibre foods are your teeth’s best friend. Leafy greens are full of water and the more you chew them the more they stimulate the creation of saliva, neutralising the bad acids in your mouth.