Diet And Oral Health: Best Foods For Strong Teeth And Fresh Breath

A smile can light up a room.

Having and maintaining a pearly white grin is more than just a matter of brushing and flossing. What you eat also plays a major role.

By incorporating certain nutrient-rich foods into your daily meals, you can help strengthen your teeth, keep your gums healthy, and maintain the vitality of your mouth, as a whole.

So if you want to smile with confidence, here’s the lowdown on the best foods to keep your grill in tip-top shape.

Calcium-rich foods for strong teeth

Calcium is important for making bones strong (a tooth is basically a bone).

Calcium-rich foods will also help with remineralising enamel against tooth wear and tear.

Calcium-rich foods include milk, cheese, and yogurt. Rich in calcium and phosphate, these dairy products replenish enamel and neutralise acid in your mouth. Cheese also increases saliva flow to wash away food particles.

Lactose intolerant or plant-based or both? No worries: you can still get your calcium and other toothy nutrients. 

Fortified plant-based milk: almond, soy and oat milks are often fortified with calcium and vitaminD.

Tofu and tempeh: This plant protein is often fortified with added calcium and phosphorus, which strengthens your teeth.

Additionally, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens are calcium-rich foods that help keep your teeth healthy.

Almonds are an ‘easy’ extra source of calcium along with a dose of protein and fiber, which are important for good health.

Crunchy fruit and vegetables for cleaner teeth

Fibrous, crunchy vegetables and fruits are the closest you’ll get to the natural, tooth-scrubbing effect of proper flossing.

Chewing stimulates salivary flow, the mouth’s own preventive agent against tooth decay.

Apples are known as ‘nature’s toothbrush’ for good reason: the fruit is fibrous and slightly acidic. The way you eat it will help to clean your teeth and gums.

Carrots and celery both have a good, crunchy texture that promotes saliva production – nature’s best natural tooth polisher. They also act as a sort of natural toothpick. Celery’s jagged texture means you’ll be a little more likely to remove food from between your teeth.

Vitamin C for healthy gums

Vitamin C is known to be good for your gums because it keeps blood vessels healthy and it reduces inflammation. This can help prevent gum disease, which is one of the main causes of tooth loss. 

Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and grapefruit are full of Vitamin C.

Just make sure to rinse your mouth after – they very acidic, so can eat away enamel over time.

Surprisingly, bell peppers are also full of vitamin C and are less acidic than oranges, etc.

Phosphorus for stronger teeth

Phosphorus works with calcium to maintain and repair the enamel of your teeth. Foods containing phosphorus include fish (especially salmon and tuna), and eggs.

Fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which improve dental and cardiovascular health. 

Eggs are inexpensive and versatile, eggs are a tooth-strengthening powerhouse brimming with phosphorus, protein and vitamins.

Green tea for fighting bad breath

If you’re suffering from bad breath, try flossing every day and drinking green tea.

To keep healthy teeth and gums, dentists recommend drinking green tea after a meal because green teas are rich in polyphenols.

These compounds have the ability to suppress the growth and activity of bacteria and preserve your dental health.

When we finish a meal, the leftovers in our mouth are helping bacteria to grow. Green tea help to combat this.

Green tea is not only great at combating bad breath and gum disease, it can also keep your breath smelling fresh.

Drinking plain green tea regularly can reduce the amount of plaque and lower the risk of cavities because of its natural antibacterial quality.

Drink a glass of water after every meal

Water is the key to keeping your entire body, including your mouth, healthy.

Your mouth needs a constant supply of water to flush food particles, bacteria and acid (two of the prime causes of tooth decay) away from your teeth.

Fluoridated water – drinking water containing fluoride helps to make your teeth more resistant as your teeth enamel is strengthened.

Avoiding harmful foods for dental health

Sugary snacks: sugar in sweets, candies, and soft drinks feeds the cavity-causing bacteria of your mouth, which in turn excrete acids that dissolve away enamel.

Avoid sticky foods: caramels, gummies, dried fruits – anything that’s soft but doesn’t melt – these can wrap themselves around your teeth, making it harder for saliva to rinse the sugars away and speeding up the erosion process.

Many sodas, energy drinks, and fruit juices are extremely acidic. Tooth enamel erodes after repeated, prolonged contact with these drinks.

Final thought: a balanced diet for a confident smile

Make sure that you get all the nutrients you need by eating a varied diet full of healthy, nutrient dense foods.

In addition to good nutrition, taking proper care of your teeth by brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and seeing your dentist regularly will help you keep your smile radiant for decades. 

Modifying your diet by including more dental-friendly foods can have a meaningful impact on your mouth health. On your next snack break, think about your teeth, and choose something that helps keep your smile shining.