Keeping your mouth clean and germ-free is an essential part of oral hygiene. Brushing your teeth twice daily, flossing between teeth regularly, and visiting a dentist near you once every six months for routine check-ups, are all important to maintain a clean environment in your mouth. Booking yourself regular appointments at the dental clinic providing teeth cleaning near you is another step in that direction. However, did you know that certain foods clean your teeth as you eat them?
Here is a list of some wonder foods that can help you maintain good oral health.
Apples
This fruit is super fibrous and acidic; both are qualities that help clean teeth. The fiber acts like a toothbrush as you bite and chew the apple, scrubbing away other food debris and plaque from the teeth. The acid in an apple helps kill the bacteria that causes bad breath. So, an apple isn’t just good for your digestion, but also imparts oral health benefits!
Carrots
Just like apples, carrots also are high in fiber and clean teeth by scrubbing off any plaque or food remains from the teeth. Carrots also have enzymes that activate the production of saliva in the mouth that help clean teeth. Apart from the direct cleansing action on the teeth, carrots are also a powerhouse of multiple B vitamins that help fight gingivitis, a disease affecting the gums.
Green, leafy Vegetables
While most of us are well aware of how important our green vegetables are in providing iron, calcium, and other essential minerals and vitamins to our bodies, you might never have realized that they can help in keeping your teeth clean as well! The high fibre content of spinach and kale helps clean teeth in scrubbing action. Kale is also rich in calcium, which helps strengthen teeth, and vitamin B, which helps fight gingivitis. Next time you’re making wraps for your child’s lunch, consider swapping lettuce for spinach or kale that provides extra health benefits!
Cheese
There is no direct cleaning action on teeth while eating cheese, but the thick creamy texture can protect teeth from the harm that other foods can cause. Grapes and cheese are popular food pairings as the acid in the grapes are mellowed down by the cheese, hence protecting the tooth enamel from the strong acidity of grapes. Also, being super-rich in calcium, cheese is good for strengthening teeth. Another way that eating cheese can provide oral benefits is from the nutrient called casein contained in it which helps in building the tooth enamel. There are so many overall benefits of consuming cheese so it might be a good idea to add more of it to your child’s diet.
Seafood
Fluoride in toothpastes helps strengthen the enamel of our teeth that protects the inner, softer part of teeth called dentin. Although fluoride from toothpaste helps to a great extent, you can also include some foods in your diet that are natural sources of fluoride. One such type of food is seafood. Since oceans are rich in sodium fluoride, most seafood absorbs it and becomes a good source of fluoride. There are some other natural sources of fluoride that can provide similar benefits such as carrots and beets, canned tomatoes, and canned beans.
All these foods that provide wonderful dental benefits over and above their dietary benefits are a great way of ensuring that your teeth are naturally protected. Regular dental check-ups performed by a dentist in Carrollwood, following good dental hygiene practices, and the consumption of foods that are conducive to your oral health, are the best ways to keep your teeth healthy and clean. However, you might sometimes feel the need for professional teeth cleaning to get rid of plaque build-up. When searching for dental clinic providing services for teeth cleaning in Carrollwood, consider Playa Family Dentistry for an excellent dental cleaning experience!