What Foods Should One Eat for Oral Dental Hygiene?

What you eat has an impact on how healthy your mouth is. Eating various nutrient-dense foods from all food groups can help promote oral health. So, what should you eat exactly? Herein we look at some of the foods that the dentist at Dental Impressions recommends adding to your diet to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

Foods For Oral Hygiene

Some of the foods that can be recommended by your dentists in Chicago that are good for your oral hygiene include:

• Cacao Nibs

Cocoa polyphenols effectively kill cavity-causing bacteria and form a barrier between teeth and plaque. According to Trusted Source, polyphenols in cocoa and specific ones in coffee and tea effectively kill cavity-causing bacteria and create a barrier between teeth and plaque.

Researchers discovered in 2019 that a cocoa bean mouth rinse killed the bacteria most responsible for cavities just as well as a prescription mouthwash. However, there was no evidence that it wiped out other beneficial bacteria in the oral microbiome.

• Grass-Fed Dairy

Grass-fed dairy products contain a lot of vitamin K2, which is good for your teeth. Images from Getty ImagesGrass-fed dairy products, such as cheese and butter, are high in vitamin K2, a nutrient important for tooth health. However, the vast majority of the world’s population is likely deficient in vitamin K2

While all other mammals can efficiently convert vitamin K1 to K2 in the digestive system, humans lack the necessary enzyme.And don’t underestimate the value of grass-fed. Because the enzyme in other mammals is activated by chlorophyll, animals that eat grain and corn are unlikely to provide a vitamin K2-rich product.

• Fatty fish

Fatty fish contains a lot of vitamin D, which can help prevent tooth decay. Because of its high vitamin D content, fatty fish is an important part of many healthy diet plans. This nutrient is required by nearly every system in the body, but one of its lesser-known advantages is its ability to reduce the risk of tooth decay.

Vitamin D collaborates with vitamins A and K2 to deliver calcium to the teeth, thereby strengthening enamel from the inside out. Conversely, lacking any of these nutrients can result in weakened enamel which may find you in the office of a Chicago dental clinic due to cavities or other oral health problems.

Oily fish are also high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids promote gum health and may even aid in the prevention and treatment of gum disease. Oily fish are also high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids promote gum health and may even help prevent and treat periodontitis (gum disease), which affects nearly half of all adults in the United States.

• Leafy greens

Leafy greens stimulate the production of nitrate- and nitrite-reducing bacteria in the mouth. Greens are beneficial prebiotics that healthy oral bacteria feed on in the mouth. In contrast to high carbohydrate foods, leafy greens stimulate the production of nitrite-reducing bacteria in the mouth. As a result, your mouth and cardiovascular system benefit from increased nitric oxide.

Leafy greens will not only make your teeth feel cleaner, but they will also actively support a healthier oral microbiome.

• Oranges and grapefruit

Grapefruit and oranges are high in vitamin C, which helps to strengthen blood vessels and connective tissues in the mouth. While acidic foods can harm teeth, grapefruit, oranges, and other citrus fruits can actually improve oral health when consumed in moderation.

Grapefruit and oranges are high in vitamin C, which helps to strengthen blood vessels and connective tissues in the mouth. As a result, it slows the progression of gum inflammation, which can lead to gum disease.

What Type of Foods Should You Avoid For Healthy Teeth?

Plaque contributes to gum disease and tooth decay. Sugars cause bacteria to release acids that attack tooth enamel after you eat a sugary snack or meal. Cavities can form when the enamel deteriorates.

Cavities can lead to complications such as pain, chewing difficulties, and tooth abscesses. And if you don’t brush or floss your teeth, plaque hardens and becomes tartar. Tartar above the gum line can cause gingivitis, an early stage of gum disease.

How can you keep plaque from wrecking your mouth? Aside from brushing your teeth, flossing, and visiting your dentist in Chicago regularly, try to avoid or limit the foods listed below:

• Sour Candy
• Alcohol
• Bread
• Carbonated drinks
• Ice
• Citrus
• Dried fruits
• Potato chips