A proper diet keeps your teeth and gums healthy, so nutrition is essential for oral health.
Healthy foods for teeth and gums
Eating foods containing vitamins and minerals guarantees the strengthening of teeth and gums, and hard vegetables and fruits also remove plaque that destroys enamel.
Vegetables, greens
Carrots, beets, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, zucchini, cauliflower and white cabbage, bell peppers contain vitamins A, C. These vegetables are also rich in calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, strengthen tooth enamel, tooth roots and gums, beneficial to the health of the oral mucosa.
When eating broccoli, a powerful source of calcium, an invisible film is created on the surface of the teeth, which protects the enamel from destruction.
Greens contain a large amount of calcium, eliminates gum bleeding. Onions are rich in antibacterial substances and vitamin C. The process of chewing celery improves the blood supply to the gums.
Spices, seasonings
Basil, having antibacterial properties, is an orderly of the oral cavity. Ginger has an active anti-inflammatory effect. Sesame seeds are rich in calcium, and these seeds normalize the level of acid in the mouth, preventing bacteria from multiplying.
Nuts contain calcium, minerals, phosphorus, potassium, many kinds of vitamins. Strengthen enamel, bone tissue of teeth and gums, remove plaque.
Fruits, berries
Apples massage the gums, thereby strengthening them and cleaning the teeth from plaque. The presence of iron in the composition of this fruit protects the oral cavity from periodontal disease.
Pumpkin is rich in zinc, selenium, fluorine, which helps to strengthen the roots and enamel of the teeth. Pineapple neutralizes the harmful effects of acids, has an antiseptic effect.
Kiwi contains a high level of healthy vitamin C, berries support the health of teeth and gums with a rich supply of magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, fluorine, and iron.
Citrus fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals. Thanks to this, oranges, grapefruits, limes, tangerines strengthen the gums and prevent caries.
Products
For dental health, it is very useful to eat fish, as it is rich in phosphorus, vitamin D, fluorine, iodine, and calcium. Seafood helps to strengthen the gums by supplying phosphorus, iodine, magnesium, and potassium to the body.
Chicken and quail eggs contain a lot of calcium and strengthen teeth, bee honey protects gums and teeth from diseases. Cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, cheese, cereals also contain valuable vitamins and have a beneficial effect on the teeth and the body as a whole.
Beverages
The necessary blood circulation in the oral cavity is supported by chicory; reduces the formation of tartar and bacteria green tea, and clean water washes away plaque, acid and bacteria from the gums and teeth.
Harm of some useful products
While strengthening teeth and gums, a certain category of products can erode enamel due to high acid content or structural viscosity and stickiness.
Therefore, after eating citrus fruits, you should thoroughly rinse your mouth to remove citric acid, and after dried fruits, you should brush your teeth from natural sugar sticking to them. If timely hygiene is not observed, healthy products can be harmful.
Harmful foods for teeth and gums
To protect teeth from diseases, it is necessary to exclude from the diet or minimize the consumption of foods that are dangerous to oral health.
Sugar and sweets
For absorption in the body, refined sugar takes calcium and B vitamins from dental tissue. If you do not abuse sweets too much, then the removal of resources from the teeth can be gradually replenished with protein foods.
With the constant eating of toffees, caramels, sweets, white and milk chocolate, the teeth will begin to weaken from the inside and deteriorate from the removal of calcium. In addition, sugary foods stick to enamel and gums, creating a reservoir of bacteria on and between teeth.
Sweets can be replaced with honey, desserts with fructose, dates or prunes. After dried fruits, you need to make it a rule to brush your teeth.
Fatty food
Pork, butter, mayonnaise, sausage, lard, in addition to general harm to the body, leave a lot of bacteria in the mouth, which forms plaque on the teeth and provokes caries.
canned food
Vinegar contained in canned products significantly increases the acidity of the oral cavity, which reduces the strength of the enamel and is a favorable environment for the active reproduction of bacteria.
Alcohol
Removes calcium from the body, which is mainly found in dental tissue. Many types of alcohol contain harmful acids that destroy enamel and create plaque.
Sweet drinks with gas
A significant amount of acid, flavoring chemical additives and sugar corrode the enamel, lead to damage to the teeth.
Coffee
Frequent consumption of coffee removes calcium from the body, mainly from the tissue of the teeth, but 1-2 cups of this drink per day will not cause much damage to health.
What else can help keep your teeth and gums healthy?
The habit of taking care of teeth and gums prevents diseases and complications. In addition to proper nutrition, to maintain oral health, you need to follow some useful rules.
Before brushing your teeth (this should be done 2 times a day), you must use dental floss, and after each meal, rinse your mouth abundantly. Oral care should include brushing the tongue, where many bacteria accumulate. It is useful to massage the gums with circular movements of the brush while brushing your teeth.
For the health of your teeth, you should not use them instead of nutcrackers and bottle openers.
To restore tooth enamel, it is useful to drink a decoction of chicory with milk, and to strengthen teeth and gums, rinsing with propolis tincture with calamus is effective.
Teeth and gums are an indicator of the health of the whole organism, so sports, hardening, and smoking cessation will help keep them in good condition.
A balanced diet, physical activity, visiting the dentist twice a year is a guarantee of having healthy teeth and gums.