Good Foods for Your Teeth

We all know that a healthy, balanced diet is critical to overall health; but did you know that diet has a huge impact on teeth? You may not realize it, but certain foods can contribute to developing tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease, while others can reinforce the integrity of your teeth and help you maintain a beautiful, healthy smile.

To help guide your daily nutrition decisions, here is little info about a few foods that are good for your teeth and why.

High Water, Crunchy Foods

(Celery, Apples, Carrots)

Crunchy foods with high water content help your teeth in two ways. First, chewing them makes your mouth produce more saliva, which naturally cleans and strengthens teeth. Second, because they're crunchy, these foods act as a natural abrasive agent, helping to scrape off food particles and gently scrub the surface of your teeth, getting your smile cleaner.

High Antioxidant Foods

(Nuts, Berries, Other Fruits & Vegetables)

Antioxidants are virtual cure-all health elixirs, but there's one function that makes them perfect for healthy gums: they act as anti-inflammatory agents. Inflammation is one of the major contributing factors to early-stage gum disease, so a diet high in antioxidants is great for helping keep gums healthy.

Low-Fat Cheese

Cheese contains calcium, which is great for your teeth. It also helps lower the acidity of your mouth, which is a critical factor of tooth decay. Furthermore, chewing on hard, aged cheese helps to scrub the teeth and increase saliva production.

Contact Your Bettendorf, Maquoketa, & Eldridge Orthodontist Today

Have more questions about keeping your teeth healthy? We're here to help! Feel free to contact Mack Orthodontics at one of our three office locations—Bettendorf, Maquoketa, and Eldridge. We can't wait to hear from you, and we hope to see you back at this orthodontics blog for more tips and info on keeping your teeth healthy and strong!