Behind a healthy smile lies a strong and healthy body. The connection between teeth with fruits and vegetables is that the two are essential for oral health.
Maintaining a healthy mouth, especially teeth, is one of the most important things you can do as they can affect overall health. What you eat plays a massive role in impacting your oral health. Choosing the proper foods, when and how you consume them, can be the key to your overall health and the health of your teeth and gums.
Tooth decay is entirely preventable. You can take care of your teeth by brushing them regularly, visiting the dentist for check-ups, and consuming a healthy diet. This article will look at some fruits and veggies you can consume to keep your teeth healthy and help prevent tooth decay.
Fresh Fruits and Veggies for Your Healthy Smile
You already know that our diet affects our overall health. The good news is that certain fruits and vegetables are better for your smile than others. These types of foods can help create a healthy smile by improving the health of your teeth and gums.
Apart from being rich in benefits and nutritious, fruits and veggies also contain antioxidants and vitamin C that helps prevent cell damage and protect the gums. In addition, some vegetables contain folic acid and B vitamins that can help regenerate cells and improve oral health.
Let’s look at some fruit and vegetable choices for your oral health and what good habits can help.
Apples and Pears
Apples and pears are rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants that can maintain overall body health. The benefits of apples and pears don’t stop there.
Thanks to their vitamin C content, eating an apple and pears every day can keep your mouth and teeth healthy. Vitamin C plays an essential role in collagen production to form strong gum tissue. Adequate vitamin C intake can reduce your risk of gum infections (periodontitis) and promote gum health.
Apple and pears are fibrous. Biting and chewing them stimulates the salivary glands to produce more saliva. The increased saliva production lowers the bacteria level and reduces tooth decay. Apples also naturally help clean plaque from the teeth. Eat the fruits whole instead of drinking the juice, as most juices are high in sugar whenever possible.
Citrus Fruits
Just like apples and pears, citrus fruits are also rich in vitamin C and fiber that can keep your mouth and teeth healthy. Some examples of citrus fruits are:
- lemons
- grapefruits
- oranges
- limes
These tasty fruits are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants. Lack of vitamin C can provoke inflammation and bleeding gums. The vitamin C in citrus fruits helps keep gums healthy by strengthening blood vessels and connective tissues, including the ones in your jaw.
Fresh Celery
Chewing hard and fibrous vegetables such as celery stimulates the gums. The amazing nutritional content of celery also helps reduce inflammation in the body, lowers blood pressure and cancer risk.
Biting and chewing celery stalks can generate mouth-cleansing saliva, neutralizing the acid produced by oral bacteria. Besides vitamin C, celery is also a good source of beta carotene to create vitamin A. Vitamin A is an important nutrient for building strong teeth.
Leafy Green Vegetables
Leafy dark green vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals essential to maintain and improve dental health. Some of the vegetables that fall in this category are:
- spinach
- broccoli
- lettuce
- kale
- asparagus
- chard
- cabbage
Nutrients found in these foods include vitamin C, vitamin A, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and beta carotene. Phosphorus, stored in teeth and bones, helps your body balance and absorb calcium and magnesium.
Calcium helps in the formation of tooth enamel. Enamel is the outermost layer of teeth, so stronger tooth enamel can help maintain better dental health. The folic acid and B vitamins in leafy green vegetables also help reduce inflammation and treat gum disease.
Carrots
Did you know that the benefits of vitamin A and antioxidant-rich carrots aren’t limited to healthy eyes? Your teeth and mouth will benefit from eating carrots too. Eating a raw carrot encourages saliva production, which is your mouth’s natural cleanser. When saliva production increases, the risk of getting cavities is significantly reduced. Saliva helps remove sugars, bacteria and food debris that are producing enamel-eating acids.
Raw carrots have a hard and crunchy texture, making them like a scrub for your teeth and gums when you eat them. The rich vitamin C in carrots can also help maintain healthy gums. You get more vitamin C from eating raw carrots than cooked ones.
Berries
Berries are rich in antioxidant anthocyanins that help fight free radicals which cause various diseases. These berries include:
- strawberries
- blueberries
- raspberries
- cranberries
Berries get their vibrant colors from anthocyanins. Anthocyanins inhibit the work of enzymes produced by bacteria that adhere to the surface of the teeth, which can eventually lead to plaque and damage to the teeth.
Tips to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Adding fruits and vegetables to your diet is easier said than done. Follow these tips to increase your daily servings for good oral health:
- Add berries (strawberries or blueberries) to your oatmeal
- Freeze veggies and fruits for smoothies
- Get ready-made salads for a quick and convenient lunch instead of junk food
- Add red or green vegetables into hot dishes such as soup or pasta
- Enjoy fresh fruits for dessert as they are naturally sweet
- Eat carrot sticks or a slice of apple for snacks
Conclusion
Nine to ten adults aged 20 and over in the world experience toothache in the form of cavities. Cavities are preventable. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help strengthen teeth and promote healthy gums. Having a nutritious diet does not mean you should skip dental check-ups, as they are equally important for a healthy smile.
To maintain oral health, brush your teeth twice a day, floss at least once a day, and go to your dentist twice a year. If you haven’t seen your dentist in 6 months, schedule an appointment with one of our dentists at Eastman Dental soon. The team will help you achieve a healthy and beautiful smile!