Healthy choices and mindful eating improve your overall health, but they also make a big impact on your oral health. Your mouth is the entrance for the food and drink entering your body. Bad choices affect your mouth first before the rest of the body. Food and drink that are sugary or filled with carbohydrates can turn to harmful acid once inside your mouth. The acid causes cavities by eroding the enamel and decaying the teeth. Dark food and drink, such as soda, coffee, or tea can stain the teeth. Crunchy or sticky food can cause harm to teeth, too. We know the problematic foods, but what food and drinks are good for our oral health?

Fruits and vegetables

Superfoods like kale and acai berries are high in antioxidants and healthy for you. Did you know that chewing on fibrous, water-filled fruits and vegetables is very healthy for your mouth? The act of chewing produces saliva that helps to rinse away any harmful bacteria. Chewing on an apple is similar to brushing your teeth in the way that the texture of the apple can disrupt harmful elements sitting on the teeth. Apples do contain sugar so it is important to drink water to rinse away the excess sugar. Drinking fruit juice is not as effective as chewing on fruit and vegetables. Juice is high in sugar and the sugar can sit on the teeth risking production of harmful acid.

Water!

Water is so important to your overall health. Hydration is extremely important. Water is also very important to your mouth’s health. Water can keep saliva production up. Saliva is your body’s natural defense against harmful bacteria in the mouth as it actively rinses it away. Drinking water after eating or drinking something not-so-good for your teeth can help to minimize the damage.

Yogurt

Yogurt without added sugar is great for your oral health. The good bacteria contained in the probiotics of yogurt can outnumber the bad bacteria in your mouth. Yogurt is also high in calcium which is helpful in strengthening the enamel of your teeth.

Mindful food choices can protect your mouth

To learn more about good food choices or ways to protect your teeth, contact us. Schedule a consultation with Grinnell Street Dental in Sheridan, WY, by calling (307) 672-7567. We welcome residents from Sheridan, WY, as well as Gillette, Billings, Miles City, and all surrounding communities.