Good oral hygiene is vital to a healthy smile. However, your healthy diet also influences your teeth and gum health in a big way. Consuming nutritious foods from various food groups ensures optimum dental health. Failure to take care of your oral health may affect the other parts of your body and negatively affect your immune system.
If you’re seeking to boost your oral and overall health, you should equip your kitchen with healthy food substances. Your healthy diet should have calcium, phosphorous, vitamins, and other essential nutrients to keep your body strong and healthy. Below are crucial food substances that will keep your teeth healthy and boost your immune system.
1. Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Eating enough portions of fresh vegetables and fruits can lower your risk of contracting illnesses like gut problems, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Vegetables and most fruits are rich in fiber, minerals, and vitamins, making them excellent immunity boosters.
Most vegetables and fruits are also delicious. You can enjoy eating them as many times as possible. Here are the most common fruits and vegetables that you need to include in your healthy diet:
Celery, Carrots, Broccoli, and Other Crunchy Vegetables
Crunchy vegetables are good for clearing plaque from teeth surfaces. They also stimulate saliva flow because they contain a lot of water. Saliva plays a critical role in ensuring that chewing is effective. As you chew, crunchy vegetables also wipe off bad bacteria from your teeth. Also, they have other health benefits that will boost your immune and overall health.
Leafy Vegetables
These vegetables contain many antioxidants, folic acid, calcium minerals, and vitamins that your body needs to function properly. They include lettuce, collards, and spinach. The greener the vegetables, the more nutritious they are.
Apples and Pears
You may have heard about how you can keep a doctor away with an apple a day. While apples and pears may not directly keep dentists away, they help in maintaining good oral health. These fruits are hard and fibrous, making them ideal for increasing salivation. Saliva does not just keep the mouth moist but also fights germs and averts bad breath. It is essential because it contains minerals and proteins that prevent gum disease and tooth decay. Raw pears also play a vital role in neutralizing decay-causing acids.
Citrus Fruits
These fruits are rich in vitamin C, which is a major immunity booster. Although they contain a lot of citric acids, they confer vascular protection when taken in moderation. Including fruits like lemons, grapes, and oranges in your diet is important for your health in many ways. Since citric acid can erode the enamel, it is advisable to clean your mouth whenever you eat citrus fruits.
Fruits from Tree Nuts
Almonds and other tree nuts contain a lot of vitamin E, which mitigates the risk of gum infections. Vitamin E is very effective in combating bacteria, and dentists use it to curb inflammation and avert periodontal diseases. However, when cracking nuts, you should use your rear teeth because the front ones can get damaged easily.
Red Bell Peppers
Unlike citrus fruits, red bell peppers are sweet. They contain antioxidants and vitamin C. Moreover, they are low in calories and rich in beta carotene and fiber. You can eat them in hummus as a snack or fry them in your favorite dish.
Antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in fruits may enhance your body’s ability to fight microorganisms and prevent inflammation, thus protecting your teeth and gums. The dietary habits you adopt determine how your mouth resists bacterial attacks. These are other healthy foods to include in your diet include:
2. Cheese
Cheese is rich in calcium and phosphorous. These elements strengthen teeth and balance the pH level in your mouth. If you have corroded enamel, the cheese will play a vital role in the recovery process.
3. Greek Yogurt
Plain and lactose-free Greek yogurt contains considerable amounts of probiotics, which are effective bad-breath fighters. Although daily flossing fights bad breath, taking six ounces of Greek yogurt every day will greatly help you. Greek yogurt serves even better because probiotics repress bacteria growth. They also trigger the production of natural antibodies.
4. Water
Water cleanses all the food particles that are likely to harbor bad bacteria. When cavity-causing microorganisms invade your mouth, they dwell on residue and sugars that stick on your teeth. By drinking water, you starve the bacteria before they produce acid that eats away the enamel. Drinking adequate water every day will keep your body active and strong. It will also improve your skin tone.
It is important to strengthen or improve your body’s ability to fight against germs and illness. Apart from eating healthy, it is advisable to perform body exercises regularly. You can even work out from home if you do not like visiting the gym. However, if you have severe dental problems, it is advisable to book an appointment with a reliable dentist.
