What Foods Improve or Hurt My Teeth?

Posted on 7/25/2016 by Allan Hablutzel

There are foods that you consume that can improve the health of your teeth, or damage them. Your diet can have a direct effect on your teeth. By making small diet changes, you can improve the health of your teeth, helping you keep them longer.

Foods that will improve the health of your teeth

You can eat, and make your teeth healthier with the following foods:

•	Dairy Foods. High in calcium and protein, dairy based foods including cheese and yogurt, strengthen your enamel and contain good bacterias that eliminate bad, reducing cavities and balance the ph level in your mouth.
•	Leafy Green veggies such as kale, spinach, chard, and lettuce contain high levels of calcium that will help your enamel. They also contain folic acid that has been shown to combat gum disease.
•	An apple a day will indeed help your teeth. Eating apples increases your saliva production which helps keep your mouth healthy. The firm texture of an apple also helps stimulate your gums and can displace other harmful food particles. Other firm textured foods that also increase saliva includes celery, carrots, jicama and pears.

Foods that can be damaging to the health of your teeth

When thinking of what foods can damage your teeth, most patients are already aware that all foods high in sugar and sticky are hurtful to your dental health. Sticky candies, or anything of that sort can cause cavities. Some foods that you may be unaware of their potential damage includes:

•	Chewing on ice or other frozen foods, ie. frozen chocolate chips, can fracture, crack, and cause breakage to your teeth.
•	Foods that are high in starch can be damaging, starch is sugar, and crunchy foods such as potato chips can lodge between teeth and in crevices, leaving sugar trapped in your teeth.
•	Acidic foods such as oranges and lemons can erode the enamel of your teeth.
•	Coffee, tea and soda have something called tannic acid that erodes teeth and causes staining.
•	Consuming alcohol can dry out your mouth and reduce saliva production, saliva is your mouths defense against bacteria.

Please contact us if you have any questions about dental friendly foods.

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