Many of my patients, and many of our readers, know how important it is to keep your mouth healthy. To say that your overall health starts with your oral health is no stretch of the imagination. Your mouth is the most common entry point into the body and bacteria and germs take advantage of this. If you do not take proper care of your mouth, you can start to develop tooth decay, gum disease, and other much more serious health problems.
Maintaining your dentist appointments is a great start to avoiding cavities and other diseases. Additionally, brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash as directed, is another great way to keep your mouth in good health. However, for some people, these things are not enough to avoid health issues in their mouths. If you want to take the next step in maintaining your oral health, you need to look at your dietary choices and how they affect your teeth.
Below, Dr. Kinn offers a few dietary tips to help keep your teeth healthy and strong!
1.) Fruits and veggies are important
Many fruits and vegetables offer health benefits to your mouth, just like they do for the rest of your body—no coincidence there. In particular, vegetables like carrots and celery will help to stimulate your salivary glands and help you produce more saliva. Why is this important? Saliva is one of our best defenses against acids and sugars that enter our mouth.
2.) If you eat dessert, make it sugar-free
Should you want to eat dessert, especially candy, choose ones that are sugar-free. If you can, look for candy that contains Xylitol. Xylitol is more than just a sugar substitute, it actually works as an anti-sugar and helps you avoid tooth decay and other issues.
3.) Chew sugar-free gum
As we mentioned above, sugar-free is always better than choosing something loaded with sugar. Like candy, there are brands of gum that contain Xylitol; look for those brands. Chewing gum will also help you create more saliva!
4.) Eat/drink more dairy products
In many dairy products, like cheese and yogurt, there is a protein called casein. Casein is extremely beneficial to the health of your teeth, as it helps to strengthen your teeth and helps them resist damage. Additionally, dairy products contain calcium. Calcium is not only good for the health of your jaw bone, the anchors of your teeth, but it will also strengthen your teeth as well!
Looking for a dentist in the Fostoria area?
Dr. Kinn is always welcoming new patients to his office in Fostoria. If you would like to schedule an appointment, call us at 419-435-6700, or click here.
