Your dietary choices make a big difference in your risk of developing tooth decay and cavities. Cavities are just as common as they are painful, and will have you making an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. While the jury is still out on whether foods can reverse cavities, there are plenty of foods that can prevent them and promote bone health in your mouth – here are three food types to look out for:
Foods That Reverse Cavities
Some foods can harm your teeth, while others contain essential nutrients to keep them healthy and strong. To help prevent cavities, keep the following food choices in mind.
Eating high-fiber foods keeps saliva flowing, which helps create mineral defenses against cavities. Good sources of fiber are dried fruits such as dates, raisins and figs, and fresh fruits, like bananas, apples, and oranges. Other options include veggies, such as beans, brussels sprouts, and peas, along with peanuts, almonds, and bran.
Calcium has long been known to benefit dental health. In addition to providing the support that your teeth need, calcium also helps you produce more saliva, putting minerals back in your teeth that you may have lost from eating. Seafoods like salmon, oysters, clams, and shrimp are great sources of calcium, as well as plant-based foods like broccoli, cauliflower, nuts, and olives.
Magnesium is important for increasing bone and teeth health. It helps regulate other nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus to build bone health. Consider eating foods rich in magnesium such as squash seeds, cacao, leafy greens, molasses, blackstrap and avocado. Whole grains are also great foods to get both magnesium and fiber. Look for foods such as bran, whole-grain cereals, and pasta to add to your shopping list.
Foods That Cause Cavities
Eating sugary foods is one of the top reasons for cavities. Sugar only feeds the bacteria in the mouth, creating an acid that wears down your tooth enamel. Avoid sugary foods and beverages, as well as heavily refined carbohydrates, to reduce the amount of plaque in your mouth.
But simply eating healthy cannot completely reverse or prevent cavities. Daily oral hygiene is the key! Floss at least once a day and brush your teeth twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is a natural mineral that helps fortify your enamel’s crystalline mineral structure, your tooth’s first defense against decay. Adopting good oral hygiene and diet will help heal existing cavities and prevent the formation of new cavities. We can help you get started on journey toward a mouth-healthy diet with our Solstice Cookbook! Click the image below to download our delicious recipes for free!