John VorhausWhen you have healthy teeth and gums and a great smile, you’ll feel more confident in yourself, and you’ll notice people smiling back at you as well. That’s just one reason that excellent dental care and hygiene is a vital part of an overall healthy lifestyle. There are many ways to achieve healthy teeth; regular brushing and flossing should be a part of your everyday routine, of course, but eating the right foods can also make a big difference. Cut down on sugars and increase your intake of these three dentist friendly foodstuffs.
Cheese
Cheese can be delicious and is often a great addition to other foods, but it doesn’t usually have a reputation for being healthy thanks to its high-fat content. Dental experts, however, say that it’s the number one food item if you want healthy and strong teeth. It’s milk content means that it’s packed full of calcium, which is great for tooth enamel, and it raises the pH level within the mouth of the person eating it, which can help to fight tooth decay. Harder cheeses that require chewing also help to produce saliva, which can also be beneficial to dental health. Add these three factors together, and you’ll find that saying cheese may keep you away from the dentist.
Yoghurt
Natural and Greek style yoghurt is another dairy rich item that is great for your teeth. Look for yoghurts with no added sugar and added probiotics, as the good bacteria they contain can combat the unhealthy bacteria that can lead to tooth decay. Fat rich foods like cheese and yoghurt can also help you lose weight, if you eat more fat containing foods while reducing the amount of proteins you eat. This is the basis of the celebrated ketogenic diet, which encourages your body to enter ketosis and consume its own excess fats. See the article here to find out more, as it can be good for your waistline and your teeth.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are renowned for their many healthy qualities, and among them is their ability to encourage good dental health. They do this not only because they are a good source of calcium, always a plus when it comes to the teeth, but because they contain relatively large amounts of Folic Acid. This is a member of the B vitamin group that is often recommended to women during pregnancy, and studies show that it may also be effective at treating gum disease in pregnant women and women trying to become pregnant. That’s why it makes sense to add foodstuffs such as kale and spinach to your diet, whether as part of a side dish or salad, or sprinkled on top of other food like pizza or curry.
Cheese, yoghurt and leafy greens can all taste great, but they are even more important because of the benefits they can bring to our oral health. If you worry about the effect that upping your intake of the first two items may have on your weight, it may be worth looking at adopting a ketogenic diet at the same time. Doing this can bring benefits to your health in more ways than one.