Having a proper diet for Your Dental Health

There are so many things that we all know that we need to do in order to stay healthy. When it comes to our dental health most of us know that we should brush and even do the ultimate not cool thing and floss regularly.  But not everyone really realized or at least consciously knows that their diet is responsible for a lot of their dental health.  Plaque actually creates acid that builds up and is the reasons we get damage to our tooth enamel. This in turn then causes cavities and sets the preverbal stage for the dreaded gum disease.  So what are some extra steps we can take to help our mouth take care of itself?  There are lots of good foods that research has suggested can help aid us in this task and those are the ones I want to be focused on today.

I have tried to work on my own life and analyze what diet changes I can make.  My mornings were ripe with need and I decided to start adding in tea into my morning routine.  Teas especially black and green teas are loaded with polyphenols which can help slow the growth of bacteria.  This in term helps slow the creation of cavities and gum disease.  So taking the time to boil some water and drop in a bag of tea can be more than just a yummy treat.  It can actually help your health.  Nowadays it is much easier than boiling water in the kettle.  There are electric kettles that can boil water in seconds not minutes and get you right on the healthy path super fast!  In general, most people who drink tea have fewer dental issues and lots of studies can back that up. It is mostly because of what they are not drinking by drinking tea.  It also reduced the plaque that they already had and made it easier to brush off.  Think about adding that into the morning or evening routine.

One of the best things that I like to eat and that is actually healthy is cheese.  I know that is a bit shocking. Not kidding though, and there have been many studies done on it to prove it.  One of them, the General Dentistry journal found that teenagers who eat cheddar cheese ended up with fewer acid levels in their mouth than those who ate yogurt or drank milk.  After the test, each teen would rinse their mouths with water and then measured them at different intervals.  The cheese was found to lower acid and neutralize plaque acid.  So the next time you are at the grocery store, yes practice social distancing but also pick up a brick or a package of cheddar cheese.  Chewing a little bit of this can really help bring those acid levels down and keep you from visiting the dentists nearly as much.  

I think it is a really smart idea to start thinking about good foods to eat in order to maintain really high dental health.  Since the main thing we can do to harm our teeth is what we are eating and drinking, it is important to be proactive on what we are doing on a daily basis. I hope my thoughts on this topic help you and your dental journey.