You’re already aware of the kinds of foods, drinks, and snacks that are detrimental to your oral health, but do you know which foods are the most beneficial?

Any nutritionist will agree that frequently ingesting potato chips, sodas, and candy aren’t good for your overall body health, and not surprisingly these are the same kinds of foods that are harmful to your teeth. Basically, anything with a lot of sugar or starch is taboo. An overabundance of sugar increases the amount of bacteria in the mouth, and when it is allowed to flourish you risk decay and gum disease which leads inevitably to tooth loss.

Foods that are good for your teeth begin with those high in calcium, protein, and phosphorus. Pretty much anything that originally came from an animal is good. Milk, cheese, eggs, yogurt, meat, poultry, fish. All of these aid in rebuilding and strengthening teeth and tooth enamel.

Fruits and vegetables, along with nuts are great to eat as long as the sugar content is not concentrated (as in fruit juices) and the fiber has not been removed. Eating whole foods is the right way to keep all the water and fiber content there to balance the sugar. Leafy green veggies are the best, and you can never overdose on them. Eat all you want!

When eating, your saliva production will increase in order to wash the acids and food particles away. This is a good thing. If sticky foods remain in your mouth it will cause decay. Drink plenty of water with meals to help clean out the hangers-on. Speaking of which, water is the hands-down best thing to put in your mouth–fluoridated, if you can find it!

If you’d like more information about oral health, call Dr. Jim Const and our team at Jim P. Const, DDS. Make an appointment at: 415-391-2559, or come by our office in San Francisco, California.