There are times you find problems with your teeth and you wonder the primary cause of the condition especially when you never forget to brush your teeth. Later, the condition gets worse, and you are forced to consult a dentist for diagnosis or advice.
This consequence has never been your expectation at all, but by eating some recommended food and choosing wisely the ones to avoid, you will solve many teeth problems and keep them healthy always. Below are four foods that you should consider eating and the others you should avoid to ensure you don’t visit your dentist any time soon.
1. Eat lots of detergent foods
You might probably be wondering what detergent foods are. These are crispy or crunchy foods that provide significant benefits to our teeth such as preventing tooth decay. The concept of how they work is they have a crunchy texture, thereby cleaning the teeth by removing food particles stuck in them. Some examples include apples, celery, carrots, unsweetened popcorn, cucumbers, pears, etc.
A great tip you should note is to ensure you eat detergent foods after meals. The main reason is that you may not have time always to carry a toothbrush to brush your teeth in some circumstances. Therefore, ensure you form a habit of eating detergent foods after meals or even take them as snacks instead.
2. Dairy products
You probably know that most dairy products provide nutrients for stronger healthy teeth. Well, they are also excellent foods that reduce and neutralize the acidic nature in our mouth hence providing better health in our teeth.
3. Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate such as the one found in cocoa beans contains beneficial ingredients such as tannins, flavonoids, and polyphenols. These ingredients have high antioxidants levels that provide excellent benefits to your teeth. For instance, tannins which are responsible for their sweet dark pigments, help to prevent cavities by preventing bacteria particles from sticking to your teeth.
Alternatively, flavonoids slow down tooth decay process, while polyphenols limit bacteria’s effects by neutralizing the microorganisms that result to bad breath, prevent gums’ infections and combat tooth decay.
4. Sugarless chewing gum
Practice chewing sugarless gum since it increases the flow of saliva. This habit will decrease plaque acid and food particles that cause tooth decay while also strengthening the teeth. If you chew the gum after eating, the increased flow of saliva helps to neutralize the acids formed when food is broken down by the plague bacteria on your teeth. Also, this acid is harmful because it destroys tooth enamel slowly, hence causing tooth decay later.
Worst foods you should avoid:
1. Starchy and sticky foods
When you chew starchy foods such as soft bread and potato chips, your saliva breaks the starch into sugar. The paste-like substance formed sticks to the crevices between your teeth which can cause cavities. Sticky foods also damage your teeth because they are likely to stay on your teeth longer hence you should avoid them.
2. Carbonated soft drinks
These drinks contain a lot of added sugar and citric or phosphoric acids that erode tooth enamel. Carbonated soft drinks are acidic and therefore, not suitable for your teeth at all. Others such as caffeinated drinks lead to a dry mouth hence the mouth lacks saliva known to neutralize the acids that cause tooth decay. The best solution when you use soft drinks is to try and drink them along with a cup of water.
3. Sticky Candy and sweets
When you were growing up, your parents probably cautioned you against overeating sugary treats such as candy and sweets in a party or a special event to avoid visiting a dentist. It turns out they were right because eating tons of sugar is unhealthy for your tooth.
The sweet and sugary components found in candies sticks in tooth crevices also increasing chances of bacteria survival and growth. Such sugary treats also provide acidic environments which are a common cause of cavities and tooth decay.
