How Your Diet Affects Your Teeth
There are many steps you can take to ensure that your teeth are strong and healthy. This usually means brushing and flossing at least twice a day and making it a point to visit the dentist every six months or so, for a routine check-up. However, there is one element that plays a very large role in the longevity of those pearly whites – a good diet. That’s right, taking in nutritious foods not only improves your health in general, but it also does wonders for your teeth! Most people might think that this just means cutting out foods that are high in sugar, as sugar will rot away at your tooth enamel. Conversely, it is not just based on the amount of sugars you do or do not take into your body.
Having a diet that provides good minerals, vitamins and other nutrients will help your teeth, as well as your gums, stay in good shape. Fluoride is one essential ingredient that can be found in certain foods and water that helps drastically in the process of fighting decay. It has been proven that eating and drinking things with fluoride in them can reduce the chance of getting cavities by 60 percent.
Calcium is also one of the most important things that your teeth need because it makes them stronger. Eating foods that will supply you with a good amount of calcium like, low-fat dairy products, canned salmon, almonds and dark green vegetables will help you achieve that stronger, healthier smile. Although, just like anything else, too much calcium might not be a good thing. That’s where Vitamin D comes in. Vitamin D helps absorb the calcium and can be found in milk, fatty fish, margarine and exposure to the sun.
If you want to start taking better care of your teeth, it would be a wise decision to change the way you eat. This doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in your usual goodies, it just means that adding or subtracting certain foods will significantly help the overall condition of your teeth. The care of your teeth is just as important as the care of your body so don’t neglect these white wonders!