To keep your teeth healthy, it is not only important to take good care of them. Many problems can be avoided by eating a healthy diet. Doctors tell you how and what to eat to improve your oral health.
Rule 1: Less sweet, flour, sour and fizzy drinks
Sweets and flour are sources of fast carbohydrates. They feed on the harmful bacteria that live in our mouths. And as they eat, they produce lactic acid, which leaches minerals from tooth enamel. This process is called demineralization. With prolonged exposure to acid, first a small depression forms in the enamel, then a hole (carious cavity) appears.
Acidic products also destroy the surface of the teeth, leading to erosions (cavities and indentations). This facilitates further work for microbes and accelerates the development of tooth decay.
Carbonated drinks are dangerous because they contain an increased amount of various acids and carbohydrates. For example, one glass of cola contains almost 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Rule 2: Meals should be regular
It is optimal to eat 3-4 times a day. Eating less frequently causes the mouth to produce less saliva, which is essential for healthy teeth and gums. Saliva provides minerals to the tooth enamel, thereby strengthening it. It also prevents sticky plaque from forming on the teeth and neutralizes acids (a product of bacteria).
Eating more than 4 times a day is also harmful, because after each meal the microbes are activated and the acidity level in the mouth increases. But because of small breaks, the buffering action of saliva is reduced - simply put, it does not have time to cope with the load. Teeth and gums can start to deteriorate.
Rule 3: Food should be moderately tough
Your diet should include more raw or lightly processed, vegetables, fruits, cereal dishes, nuts. Chinese cuisine is good in this regard, where foods are only lightly poached rather than simmered to a uniform mass.
Such moderately hard food has two advantages. Firstly, it helps to mechanically clean the teeth, reducing plaque formation. Secondly, it makes the periodontal tissues (those surrounding the root of the tooth) ‘work’. By increasing blood flow, more nutrients are delivered to them, which means your gums stay strong and healthy longer and your teeth stay firmly in place.
Rule 4: Love the cheese
Dentists recommend eating a piece of cheese for dessert - just no bread, crackers or tea. It is an excellent re mineralizing product. Thanks to its viscous consistency, it envelops the teeth and saturates the enamel with calcium and phosphorus. Other dairy products do not have such a prolonged effect. In addition, cheese further stimulates saliva production and reduces the adhesion of bacteria to the teeth.
Of course, cheese will not replace brushing your teeth, but it can be a great help in the fight against tooth decay. Especially if you replace dessert sweets with it.
Rule 5: Drink more plain water
Water, like saliva, washes away food residue from the teeth and helps keep the mouth clean.
Water is also the main source of fluorides, which are essential for preventing tooth decay. By embedding into the enamel of the teeth, fluorides make it stronger and more resistant to aggressive acids. In addition, they directly inhibit the activity of harmful bacteria.
