Add These Foods And Drinks To Your Diet For Healthier Teeth And Gums
Everything you do has an effect on your body in one way or another, and what you eat and drink can affect your teeth and gums rather rapidly. You already know about cutting back on sugar and eating foods high in calcium, for example, but there are other, not-so-obvious foods and drinks that can have effects you didn't know about. Here are some other foods and drinks to add to your diet to reap dental benefits.
In addition to all the health benefits that green tea already provides, it may also be great for your teeth. It has anti-inflammatory effects, which help keep gum disease like gingivitis at bay, and it controls the bad bacteria that can cause cavities. Green tea may also help suppress the bacteria that cause bad breath, too. Of course, tea is also known as one of the drinks that can stain your teeth, so, if you're concerned about that, speak to your dentist about what you can do to keep your teeth looking whiter. And avoid the sugar and cream. They will only reverse the effects of the tea by feeding bacteria in your mouth.
Yogurt is already widely known as good for teeth and bones due to its calcium content, but the probiotics may also be beneficial, especially for your gums. The mechanism appears to be straightforward: The more good bacteria you pile into your mouth (and thus that stick to your teeth), the less room there is for bad bacteria. One caution about yogurt, though, is that it's fairly acidic, and that can affect your tooth enamel health. However, as long as you're not bathing your teeth in yogurt, and you brush and floss regularly, you should be able to eat yogurt without a problem.
Using bone broth to shore up dental health is not an officially proven practice ("proven" meaning shown in studies to work), but it's a common home remedy for boosting tooth strength. It won't heal cavities, despite some claims online. But nutritious bone broth, made with organic vegetables, grass-fed or pastured beef or chicken, and low salt levels can be an overall healthy addition to a good diet, which itself can help your mouth stay healthy.
If you want to know about more foods and drinks that could help your efforts to keep your teeth healthy, talk to a dentist like those at The Family Dentist. He or she should be able to discuss additional strategies for making your teeth stronger and your mouth healthier.