Healthy Food for Healthy Teeth

Why proper diet is important for my teeth?

To prevent cavities and maintain good oral health, your diet — what you eat and how often you eat — are important factors.

Which Food Items are harmful for my teeth?

Food containing sugars in any form like sweets, chocolates, candies, ice-cream, dry fruits, etc
Refined foods like pizza, cakes, burgers, French fries, cookies, bread, puddings, etc.
Acidic foods like citrus fruits, lemon, pickles, vinegar, etc.
Any soft and sticky foods which do not get cleansed easily are harmful for teeth.
Too much consumption of tea & coffee can lead to stains around teeth and discolor them.

Tell me some facts which I should know about oral cavity?

Importance of saliva

Helps to maintain the pH of the oral cavity to near neutral.
Killing bacteria with different enzymes and antibodies. & helps in natural cleaning of teeth.
It also carries calcium and phosphate minerals which can be taken up by the teeth to strengthen teeth against tooth decay.
Therefore, it is very important to maintain the normal flow of saliva.

Continuous snacking and sweet & beverages – more acids in saliva – more decay.

What can I do to prevent tooth decay?

Limit the frequency of snacking to maximum 5-6/day including tea, coffee, etc., with three major meals and three snacks.
Eating smartly
– Preferably have sugary foods with major meals.
– Avoid retaining sugars (eg.chocolates) in the mouth for long time.
– Consume foods majorly in their basic forms like whole fruit instead of juice. Keep your diet rich in fibrous and protein rich foods instead of soft & junk foods.
Choose right combinations of food

Calcium and Vitamin C promote oral health. Calcium has been shown to help build strong teeth, and Vit C is a powerful antioxidant that also plays an important role in collagen synthesis, by which it helps you develop and maintain healthy gums.

Dairy products, including milk, yogurt and cheese are good sources of calcium. Many fruits and vegetables including berries, oranges and cantaloupe, as well as green vegetables including broccoli and spinach are excellent sources of vitamin C.

Drinking lot of water to stimulate salivary flow esp. tap water which contains fluoride.

Rinse your mouth after you consume anything, even sweetened milk or tea,etc.

Brush your teeth after major meals or at least twice a day.
Only rinse your mouth after having any acidic foods or drinks. Do not brush immediately as it leads to loss of tooth structure.

Things to Remember :
Choose sugary foods less often
Avoid sweets between meals
Eat a variety of low or non-fat foods from the basic groups

Of course, in addition to eating right, it’s important to follow a consistent dental care routine of twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing to promote oral health.