5 Foods That Can Boost Your Dental Health
Most dentists recommend brushing twice a day and flossing once a day to keep your teeth healthy. However, neglecting the nutritional aspect of your teeth can reduce the effectiveness of your cleaning routine.
Besides cleaning and flossing your teeth, ensure that you are eating calcium-rich foods to keep your teeth healthy. Cosmetic Dentist and dental experts recommend that eating calcium-rich foods is necessary to keep your teeth strong and healthy.
Why Eat Calcium-Rich Foods?
Calcium is a major component of your teeth. Your body needs calcium to strengthen bones and teeth. Consuming calcium-rich foods help to fortify teeth, protect tooth enamel, and contribute to healthier gums reducing the chances of gum disease.
As people age, the mineral that makes up tooth enamel, calcium phosphate can weaken and erode negatively affecting the health of your teeth. Experts recommend that an adult should consume at least 1000 mg of calcium every day to strengthen the calcium phosphate levels.
It is imperative to note that bone loss and tooth decay can increase as you age since there is a decreased level of mineral production by the body. For a few people, the risk factor is also high if anyone from the family has a history of osteoporosis. To ensure your teeth do not give problems during the old-age, it is always good to act in time and include calcium-rich foods to your daily diet.
Some Foods Rich In Calcium That Will Boost Your Dental Health Include:
1. Milk
Milk is one of the richest sources of calcium. A cup of milk will give you about 300 mg of calcium, so you will only need three and a half cups to meet your daily calcium needs. Milk also helps to lower levels of acid in the mouth more effectively than drinking water.
2. Yogurt
Like milk, yogurt is another good source of calcium and protein. Besides strengthening teeth, yogurt contains probiotics beneficial for your gums. The good bacteria in yogurt crowd out the bacteria that cause cavities ensuring healthy teeth. However, avoid brands with added sugar as sugar reverses the gain.
3. Cheese
Cheese is liked by almost everyone including children. With cheese, you will not only be enjoying delicious food, but you will also be nourishing your teeth.
Cheese is suitable for your dental health as it not only nourishes your teeth with calcium, but it also helps to neutralize the plaque acid.
A study involving 12 to 15-year-old children found that children who ate cheese enjoyed reduced acid levels in their mouth than those who drank milk or yogurt after rinsing their mouths.
4. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens feature in the healthy foods for their many benefits. Leafy greens are full of minerals and vitamins. They are also low in calories and high in calcium.
Leafy greens are also rich in folic acid that offers many health benefits like treating gum disease in pregnant women. A cup of collard greens offers about 360 mg while a cup of kale offers about 180 mg of calcium.
5. Apples
Although most sweet foods are not good for your teeth health, apples are an exception. Although they are sweet, apples are rich in fiber and water.
Eating apple stimulates the glands to produce more saliva that rinses away food particles and bacteria. The fibrous texture also stimulates the gums, ensuring healthier teeth.
Conclusion
When it comes to dental health, eating calcium-rich food is as important as brushing and flossing your teeth. The wide variety of calcium-rich foods means that you can easily get enough calcium for your daily body needs from food.
The variety also means that those who cannot consume daily products can also get adequate calcium from other alternative sources. If you think that you are not getting adequate calcium from foods, you can also get yourself calcium supplements.
