6 Surprising Foods For Healthy Teeth And Gum

Did you know that according to a study, roughly one-third of the entire world population suffers from untreated tooth decay. Strange, right? Considering oral hygiene is something most people really take care of – even those who aren’t exactly neat freaks wouldn’t step out of their houses without at least brushing their teeth properly. Despite all that work, most of us suffer from sensitivity, gum bleeding and erratic toothache every once in a while.

Your first guess would probably be that your teeth don’t exactly take well with all that sugar you’re consuming, and you’re not really wrong about that. The bacteria in your mouth like to feed off that sugar just as much as you do and that’s one of the most common causes of tooth decay. That said, there’s also foods that can help prevent tooth decay.

Surprisingly, your diet can really affect your oral hygiene, especially foods with high calcium content. But it’s not limited to that – foods rich in Vitamin D help your body absorb that calcium. Also know that Vitamin C rich foods are good for your gums. And that’s a lot of food items to choose from by the way, so let us help you narrow it down with our top 6 picks.

Here’s a list of some foods that you can add to your oral hygiene regimen.

1. Strawberries – Who doesn’t love strawberries? Well if you don’t, you better start liking them because strawberries can help with your teeth in more ways than you can imagine. They’re packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants, both of which can help with gum inflammation and stop or even prevent the periodic gum bleed.

Foods rich in Vitamin C act as a shield for your gums, protecting them against bacteria that can cause periodontal disease or even the ones that generally make your gums more sensitive.

2. Apples – While again apples are inherently sweet and seemingly not great for your teeth, but factually they really are. The fiber and water content are good for your teeth and chewing it helps produce saliva which helps get rid of food particles stuck in your teeth and even keep bacteria at bay. So the next time you’re packing your lunch, keep in mind that an apple might not just save you a doctor’s visit but also one to the dentist.

3. Green tea – I think we’re all sort of coming to the point of realizing that Green tea might be good for practically everything.

You’d imagine it’s good for weight loss only, but the good news is that apart from losing, you are also saving your teeth from a lot of pain. This is primarily due to the presence of polyphenols, which are great at reducing bacteria or any toxic product. Also, green tea contains fluoride, which you’d also see in most of your traditional toothpastes. So you know that it’s good for your teeth anyway.

Keep sipping on if you already are, and if not, this might be a really great time to begin.

4. Nuts – When you’re chewing nuts, this might not seem like a great idea, since they tend to get stuck in your teeth a lot, but nuts are actually really great for your teeth! Here’s why – one, because they’re packed with calcium and phosphorous, which is a necessity for strong healthy teeth, of course. Two, because they’re usually low on sugar content.

Almonds, in particular, have known to be useful in fighting off bacteria in your mouth and preventing tooth decay. Adding almonds to your list of daily munchies for regular benefits.

5. Cheese – This might be the best on the list so far, and nearly everyone’s favorite. Turns out, cheese is actually good for your health in at least one way – it helps prevent tooth decay!

As much as you drool looking at cheese, it also promotes saliva production which helps fight bacteria in your mouth. And not just that, it is also packed with what you could call your teeth’s best friend by now – calcium! Such relief, knowing that all that pizza you had last weekend at least did you some good.

6. Red Wine – This comes pretty close to the last one in terms of being the best on the list so far. The love for wine has not decreased a bit because it has plethora of benefits. This probably sounds a little counterintuitive and unlike what you’ve heard from those around you, but a scientific study claims that red wine can have a strong antimicrobial effect against bacteria, which can help you avoid those painful cavities.

Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive, there are tons of other food items good for your teeth as well. For example, even chewing gum is pretty good for your teeth. But remember, this is not a proxy to any of the things you’re already doing, meaning the brushing and flossing must continue. But if you’re willing to go the extra mile, a few diet changes, or just some additional items, could do wonders for you.