Can you recall the popular saying that goes “you are what you eat?” Your diet and eating habits have a profound impact on your overall health. This is especially important when it comes to your oral health since the food that you eat first comes into contact with your teeth. Also, the first stage of the digestion process occurs within your mouth. While some food has the ability to stick into the nooks and crevices of your mouth and increase the risk of oral diseases, there are foods with cleansing properties that will help clean and increase your oral hygiene near you as you eat them.
Here are 5 foods that promote good oral health according to your Winnipeg dental clinic:
1. Apples
This vitamin and mineral-rich fruit is not only sweet and delicious to eat but helps cleanse your teeth as you eat them! Apples have high fiber content and are also rich in vitamin C and water. The act of eating a crunchy apple causes your mouth to produce more saliva that helps rinse away food particles and any bacteria that build up in your mouth. The texture of fibers in apples helps stimulate the gums and soft tissues in a healthy way, increasing their blood circulation. It is, of course, not as similar to properly brushing your teeth. However, having a crunchy apple after a heavy meal not only helps end the meal in a tasty and healthy way but also provides a good cleaning of your mouth which means fewer trips to your dental clinic near you.
2. Carrots
Similar to apples, carrots are also high in fiber content. They have a high Vitamin A content that is known for strengthening the enamel of teeth. The keratin elements in carrots also attack the plaque buildup in teeth and gums. Chewing on a handful of carrot sticks or a few baby carrots after a meal helps increase your saliva flow for a cleanup of the oral cavity. Bunnies probably have excellent oral hygiene!
3. Leafy greens
Adding plenty of leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach and cabbage to your diet is also quite useful to maintain good oral hygiene. They are high in fiber content and low in calories, which is a combination that simply cannot go wrong. Eating leafy greens helps gently scrub away any food debris in the mouth and avoids any plaque growth. They are often packed with vitamin B, which is great for gum health and calcium which strengthens teeth as well.
4. Cheese
It may seem like an unlikely addition, but studies show that eating cheese can help increase the pH levels in the oral cavity. This lowers the risk of tooth decay by creating an unhealthy environment for bacteria growth. The texture and the taste of cheese also promote the production of saliva that contributes to further cleansing of the mouth.
5. Fish
Fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that lower the risk of gum disease. It helps prevent any inflammations in the oral cavity and vitamin D in fish, like salmon helps the body easily absorb calcium, which indirectly helps to strengthen the teeth.
Honorable Mention – Water
When it comes to speaking about any kind of food or drink that helps good oral hygiene, it is impossible not to mention water – the liquid of life! Healthy saliva contains around 99.5% water. When the body becomes dehydrated, this concentration level faces deviations and it will not be possible for saliva to carry out many tasks that it regularly performs to maintain oral hygiene, such as neutralizing bacterial acid. Regular consumption of water not only keeps your body hydrated but also cleanses your oral cavity by rinsing away food debris.