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Every New Year comes with resolutions that are kept and those that are not. For 2012, take charge of not only your overall health, but your oral health too. Just as you diet to lose weight, it is important to maintain proper nutrition to ensure a healthy smile. So open wide! There are a number of cavity-fighting and dental-health-boosting foods that are living in your kitchen cabinet that you may not have even known about! Healthy Foods for Healthy Teeth Milk is one of the main sources of sugars in a person's diet, but that does not mean you need to skip the milk. Drinking milk can actually promote healthy teeth and bones. Studies have shown that when cavity causing foods are eaten along with milk (cookies), the milk can actually help protect teeth from further damage. If you don't drink milk, ask your dentist about toothpastes that can re-mineralize your teeth. However, as good for your teeth as milk is during the day, it can also be hazardous to them at night. Always be sure to brush your teeth before sleeping, and think twice before putting a child to bed with a bottle of milk, or any sweetened drink. These drinks can linger on the teeth, causing extensive damage. Cheese contains similar properties as milk and makes mouth nonacidic and raises calcium levels around teeth, which is very protective. For your dental health, keep an eye out for cheeses with a bacterial element, such as blue cheese, to take advantage of cheese's probiotic benefits. Additionally, good saliva flow is important in creating an alkaline environment in the mouth, which protects teeth from exposure to acid. Crunchy vegetables help to create that flow of saliva. Some fruits and vegetables also contain polyphenols, which stimulate saliva. However, keep in mind that some fruits are acidic and that they all contain sugars, so although they are still a good choice, follow up with good dental hygiene after eating to protect your teeth from damage. Beware of Foods Bad for Your Teeth It is good to eat foods that assist in preventing cavities, but it is also important to avoid those that may provide dangers to your teeth. Lemons and other citrus fruits can actually pull minerals out of teeth. Cereals can also cause damage with bits of flakes sticking to the teeth for hours and sugars feeding bacteria that produce acids that erode teeth. Even more so, diet sodas are also a big no-no when it comes to protecting your teeth. Their acidity levels have the ability to erode enamel and make it brittle, more easily broken, and porous so teeth stain easily and darken in color. Ultimately, the foods that you eat can make a significant difference in both good and bad ways - choose wisely! Talk to your dentist in Bradenton for more information on how the health of your teeth can be influenced by what you eat. Take charge of your New Year's resolution for 2012, and not only get your body in shape, but your smile as well.
West Shore Dentistry is owned and operated by Dr. Rajiv Motwani, Bradenton dentist. Devoted to the most comprehensive and preventative patient care, West Shore Dentistry, Bradenton family dentist, provides patients with services such as implants, veneers and teeth whitening.
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