How To Eat Well For Healthier Teeth

We all know that the foods we choose to eat can have a major impact on the health and well-being of our teeth. Just ask any of the tops dentists in the Richmond area and they’ll tell you that certain food and drink items should be avoided at all costs (or at the very least consumed every once in a while).

Some of these things are obvious, foods and beverages that have high sugar content are the worst culprits when it comes to promoting tooth decay. Don’t get too attached to those low-sugar options either, even those can be detrimental to your dental health because even small amounts of sugar can have an impact.

But let’s face it, cutting sugar out of your diet entirely is most likely not going to happen. So you can do the next best thing by severely regulating how much of it you consume by getting smart and savvy about reading the labels on the things you eat and drink.

Reducing Your Sugar Intake

The fastest way to impress your dentist is by getting better educated about what you eat and that means reducing the amount of sugar that you expose your teeth to throughout the day. Sure it helps to read the nutritional fact labels before putting anything in your mouth but there are some items that you can steer clear of entirely regardless of what the label might have to say.

Soft drinks are going to have high amounts of sugar and while you may consider the diet versions instead, you’re still exposing your teeth to excessive amounts of sweeteners that can lead to tooth decay. Then you have cookies, candy, cakes, pastries, all of the sweet treats that make life worth living. While it’s probably unrealistic to expect most folks to eschew these things forever, it helps to regulate how often you consume them. Enjoying them everyday is not something you want to do, if you want to eat properly for healthier teeth.

Smart Options

Okay, so we’ve vilified sugar enough. It’s bad so stop eating it. But there are other things you might eat that can also be significantly bad for your teeth and gums. Any diet that doesn’t contain the proper nutrients can be potentially damaging to your mouth and reduce its ability to stave off infections. That can lead to gum disease and tooth loss.

The worse off your nutrition, the more likely you are to get gum disease. So it pays to make healthy choices for the sake of your teeth. But not everyone knows what those are, making it tough to eat right all the time.

Clearly fruits and vegetables are going to be your best bet as they don’t pose any major threats to your teeth and they are high in nutrients that can strengthen and fortify the condition of your teeth. These aren’t the only healthy options that exist either, whole grains are highly beneficial for your mouth. So are lean proteins that include meats like beef and poultry (without the skin) and fish. Beans and peas are also a great choice for eating healthy.

Dairy can also be good for you but only lowfat or fat-free options instead of their fatty alternatives. That’s because these items contain calcium which is good for you. So when it comes to dairy, seek out healthy yogurts and cheeses. But you won’t only find calcium in dairy products, you can get healthy doses of this nutrient in soy milk and tofu. Even almonds can be a good source of calcium which is useful in promoting strong teeth and bones.

Snacking

When you feel like a snack it can be all too easy to reach for something that’s not heart or mouth healthy. But the frequency with which you snack can also have an impact on the condition of your teeth. Eating between meals exposes your teeth to additional acids that can be hazardous to your teeth.

But sometimes you need something to tide you over. That’s okay, just be sure you choose nutritious options like those fruits and veggies or go with popcorn if you want something a little more satisfying. Nuts and yogurt are also smart choices for a snack. Just avoid the sugary sweets as much as possible and you can reduce the number of cavities you might develop over time.

Of course, you want to be sure you consume a healthy amount of water every day. Not only can it help to keep you fully hydrated but water is ideal for rinsing your mouth often. This can also help to reduce tooth decay and its effects.