We all know that eating more fruits and vegetables every day can lower our risk of certain diseases and aid in weight control. But did you know that more fruits and veggies can help with dental health too?
September is Fruits & Veggies – More Matters month and the perfect time to focus on incorporating more of these healthy foods into our diets. Plant-based foods contain fiber to keep your digestive system happy. Enjoying them every day can reduce your risk of certain cancers as well as heart disease.
What You Eat Can Help Prevent Tooth Decay
Along with good dental hygiene and regular dental cleanings and exams, a healthy diet can keep your teeth and gums free of decay and disease.
Some of the best foods that can help keep your teeth healthy are fresh fruits and vegetables. Raw veggies and crisp fruits like carrots, celery and apples actually help to clean damaging plaque from the teeth and freshen breath too.
Many fruits and vegetables contain a lot of antioxidant vitamins that help protect tissues, including your gums, from bacterial infection and cell damage.
Another benefit is folic acid, which is a member of the B vitamin family. This nutrient helps support cell growth in your entire body including your mouth.
Incorporate Fruits and Vegetables into Your Diet for Oral Health
- Apples and citrus fruit. These fruits not only clean the teeth but they increase saliva to help neutralize mouth acids and wash away food particles. Chewing fibrous fruits also stimulates your gums.
- Raw carrots and other fibrous vegetables. Enjoying these chewy foods stimulates your gums and generates more saliva to cleanse the mouth. They also help to create vitamin A, an essential for strong teeth.
- Leafy green vegetables. Kale, spinach, lettuce and asparagus are just a few of the veggies that have vitamins and minerals to help oral health. One example is phosphorus which helps your body absorb calcium.
- Berries. These sweet treats can prevent bacteria from attaching to the teeth and causing plaque and tooth decay.
Incorporating raw fruits and vegetables into meals and snacks can help clean your teeth, massage the gums and generate saliva to wash food particles away.
Let Us Know If You Have Questions on Any Aspect of Oral Health Care
Dr. Lorraine Burio of Candlewood Dental Care has been treating and educating patients for over twenty-five years. Our office serves the New Fairfield, New Milford, Danbury, and Sherman areas of CT and Pawling, Patterson and Putnam Lake of New York. You can call us at 203-746-1200 or make an appointment here.