Nutrition and Your TeethSep 13 2013

It’s no secret that what we put in our mouths is a ticking bomb - especially if we pay no particular attention to the things that we eat or drink. Our teeth are quite sensitive to some of the ingredients contained in foods, and, if we expose them to these ingredients time and time again, we are going to have lots of problems.

One of the first things that you need to always remember is that too many carbohydrates (meaning sweet foods and beverages) like cakes, cookies, milk, and also too much starch in your diet (meaning potato chips and pretzels and the sorts) are the main cause of tooth decay.

It’s hard to avoid carbs at all times, but there are some really healthy and tasty options for you. These include fruits and vegetables as these make a great snack. Since they have lots of water, they bathe your teeth and clean them as you eat them. Cheese is great because it helps trigger saliva, which helps flush out the food particles that stick to your mouth and that can cause tooth decay and cavities.

At the same time, you should always have sugary treats with meals – don’t use them as snacks. Having a sugary treat as a desert is a great way to keep your teeth healthy, because after a meal there’s a lot of saliva that can wash the sugar from your mouth.

It’s always good to avoid chewy and sticky foods like dried fruits, raisings, oatmeal, peanut butter, honey, caramel, syrup and the sorts as they stick to your teeth and it makes it almost impossible for the saliva to wash it away. The only thing that gets rid of these things efficiently and fast is a good brushing session.

To keep your teeth healthy you also want to make sure that you have good sources of calcium in your diet. Milk and cheese are great! Be warned though that milk is sugary, and you should make sure that you have it with or after a meal if you won’t want to end up with cavities and decayed teeth.

Another great way to get rid of all those sugars in your mouth is to chew gum, but, you should always stick to sugar free of xylitol sweetened gum. Xylitol is known to reduce the bacteria in your mouth, and chewing helps increase the flow of saliva hence washing out everything in between the teeth.