You’re given one body and one set of choppers, and you try to take good care of them for the most part. You may lift weights for your bone and muscle health, exercise for your heart health, and watch what you eat so you don’t gain weight, but what do you do for your teeth? You brush them twice a day for two minutes, floss daily, and see your dentist twice a year, right? But you could be doing more. You could be eating healthy for your teeth. Your Ankeny, IA dentist, Dr. Amanda Foust is going to share some tips for healthy summer eating that can benefit your family’ s teeth.
Healthy Foods vs Sugary Snacks
The sugars and starches in sweet foods like cakes, ice cream, candy, and soda attract harmful bacteria. Bacterium feeds on the sugars, starches, and decaying food particles converting them into plaque which causes cavities by eating away at tooth enamel and dentin. Research indicates that fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts, on the other hand, contain antioxidants that can help your body fight bacteria and inflammation. Harmful bacteria causes plaque which leads to decay and can cause gingival inflammation. Fruits and vegetables also contain vitamins such as vitamins B and C, as well as calcium, folic acid, and other nutrients. Healthy foods have a number of benefits for healthy teeth:
- For Healthy Teeth: Choose foods containing vitamin D, and calcium, such as milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and hardboiled eggs. Research has also shown that fresh cranberries may help stop bacteria from turning into plaque.
- For Healthy Gums: Choose foods high in vitamin C such as oranges. Vitamin C helps protect gums from bacterial infections, and so can other vitamins and nutrients from fruits and vegetables.
- For Fresh Breath And To Help Remove Plaque: Choose crisp, raw vegetables and fresh fruits such as apples, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and celery.
- For A Healthy Mouth: Choose foods containing vitamin B and folic acid, such as green leafy vegetables.
It’s easy to mix and match the above foods to create colorful, healthy snacks and meals that benefit the dental health of the whole family.
About Dr. Amanda Foust
For more information regarding dental health, call Dental Impressions of Ankeny, IA to schedule an appointment with Dr. Foust at (515) 965-0230. Since 2006, Dr. Amanda J. Foust has proudly provided compassionate and quality care to families in Ankeny, Alleman, Elkhart, Bondurant, and all surrounding communities.
