WORST:
1- Sugary Candies and Sweets
if you must have sweets, go for those that dissolve quickly in your mouth.
Candies that stick around (like lollipops, caramels, jelly beans and hard
candies), make it difficult for saliva to wash the sugar away. Snacks like cookies,
cakes or other desserts contain a high amount of sugar as well, which can cause
tooth decay over time. If you can't resist your sweets, eat them as dessert
after a main meal instead of several times a day between meals. And when
possible, brush your teeth after eating anything sweet.
2- Starchy, Refined Carbs
Chips, bread, pasta or crackers can be just as harmful to the teeth as candy.
Starches made from white flour are simple carbohydrates and can linger in your
mouth and break down into simple sugars. Bacteria, in turn, feed on these
sugars and produce acid, which causes tooth decay.
3- Carbonated Soft Drinks
Not only does pop contain a high amount of sugar, but both regular and diet pop
also contain the mineral phosphorus, as well as carbonation that wear away and
thin the enamel on your teeth. Over time, drinking a lot of pop can also cause
teeth to become darker and more yellow. Bottled iced teas and lemonade, for
example, are some of the biggest offenders.
4- Fruit Juice
although fruit is an important part of a healthy diet, fruit juice can cause
problems for your teeth. If your favorite store-bought juices are loaded with
sugar, your teeth can wear down. If you regularly drink fruit juices, use a
straw to avoid a having a large amount of liquid in your mouth at once.
5- Honey and Dried Fruits
Honey is delicious, but if it is consumed regularly it can cause tooth decay.
The same goes for dried fruits like raisins, apricots, pineapple, etc. Dried
fruit has highly concentrated sugars, and its gummy-like texture can cling to
teeth just like candy.
BEST:
1- Fiber-Rich Fruits And Veggies
High-fiber foods work like a detergent in the mouth, not only physically
“scrubbing” the teeth, but also stimulating saliva flow. Saliva is the mouth’s
first line of defense, because it neutralizes tooth-damaging acids, and
contains calcium and phosphates that help rebuild minerals leached away by
bacterial acids. Try fruits and vegetables with a high water content like
apples, carrots and celery to clean plaque from teeth and freshen breath.
2- Water
Are you really surprised with this one? When it comes to oral health, water is
indispensable. It’s the primary component of saliva, and is important to both
tooth and gum health.
3- Dairy Products
the calcium, phosphates and vitamin D in cheese, milk and other dairy products
are important minerals for oral health. Your teeth are made mostly of calcium,
and without enough in your diet, you lower your resistance and increase your
risk of developing tooth decay and other problems. Are you vegan? There are
many calcium-fortified juices, soy milks and other foods available that can
supply as much calcium to your diet as milk does.
4- Green And Black Teas
Green and black teas contain compounds called polyphones that interact with plaque
and uppress harmful bacteria, preventing them from growing or producing
tooth-attacking acid. This not only helps to prevent cavities, but also reduces
inflammation and the chances of gum disease.
5- Nuts
Many nuts provide vitamins and minerals that help your teeth. These include
peanuts (calcium and vitamin D), almonds (high levels of calcium that help both
teeth and gums), cashews (stimulate saliva and help clean teeth) and walnuts (fiber,
folic acid, iron, thiamine, magnesium, iron, niacin, vitamin E, vitamin B6,
potassium and zinc).
