Taking part in normal dental care can provide your mouth with so many benefits, including having healthy enamel, light pink gums, and overall just a more beautiful smile. Even taking regular visits to your dentist, which we highly recommend, is a great way to keep up your oral hygiene and protect yourself from cavities, gum disease, and other oral diseases. However, what you eat every day also plays an important part in your oral health. Your diet, what you eat and drink every day, matters when it comes to caring for your teeth and gums because your oral health is most often directly affected by what you eat more than you’d think.

How What We Eat Influences Our Oral Health

Our mouths act as the first mechanism against disease and illness, not necessarily because of our tastebuds, but more so because of the hosts of healthy gut and mouth bacteria throughout our bodies. Our bodies have a gut microbiome, which is an ecosystem of proteins, cells, and bacteria that aids our digestive system in absorbing nutrients into our bodies. This microbiome helps regulate our digestive tract and works with us to metabolize our food into energy. But when it comes to our mouths, our mouths also contain a host of bacteria in combination with saliva that helps maintain our body’s state of homeostasis.

However, once we introduce more harmful strains of bacteria into our bodies, our bodies have to work hard to develop antibodies to fight off the proteins that make up these strains. Our mouths are also intricately connected with our immune system, and so when strains of cavity-causing bacteria begin to develop plaque along our gums and teeth, unhealthy diets often increase the risk of health problems overall, including our bodies ability to fight off strains of bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.

What We Recommend For A Healthy Diet

Changing your diet for the better can benefit your health in many ways, especially for your teeth. This means learning about the foods you eat, sticking to meal schedules, avoiding those midnight snacks, and combining your diet with exercise for an all-around healthier body. When it comes to eating foods for your teeth, we recommend the following diet tips:

• Eat Foods Rich In Vitamins: Eat foods rich in Vitamin C, D, A, and B12, such as mushrooms, salmon, carrots, and blueberries.
• Focus on Calcium-Rich Foods: Dairy products containing calcium and vitamin D can help strengthen your bones and teeth, including milk, yogurt, and cheese.
• Make Sure To Drink Water: Drinking water provides amazing benefits, including increasing saliva production to help wash away harmful bacteria and food debris.
• Eat Your Fruits and Veggies: Your fruits and vegetables are important, so focus on these food groups for food items that are rich in fiber for stimulating saliva and jaw movement.

For more information about maintaining your oral health through changing your diet, make a visit and schedule your appointment with your local dentist to learn more!