Turmeric, acai bowls, avocado toast, oat milk, celery water – it seems like there’s always a new food trend we should incorporate into our daily lives. Most of us tend to focus on trends that help us lose weight, or make us feel better, but we’d like to take a moment to explore what foods are good for  your oral health!

We’ve narrowed it down to four trends that can positively (or negatively) impact your oral health. Here’s the scoop:

 Kombucha

Kombucha is a drink produced by fermenting sweet tea (usually black or green) with a culture of yeast and bacteria. Go to every store and you’ll see it lined on their shelves.  Full of probiotics – this drink helps with digestion and overall health. Sounds great, right?

Well, we’ve got some unfortunate news. The bacteria in kombucha creates acidity that’s harmful to your teeth’s enamel. The drink’s bacteria can also cause the bad bacteria that’s already in your mouth to grow and create an unhealthy environment for your gums. Just like other popular drinks such as wine or coffee, kombucha can also stain your teeth.

Now, it’s not all bad -- you can still consume this gut healthy drink – just take precaution. Try to not make it a daily beverage, and when you do consume it, use a straw so your teeth won’t take a direct hit from the drink’s acidity.

Avocados

Get your cameras out and Instagram captions ready – avocados are here to stay! Besides being a yummy addition to menus and kitchens everywhere, there are a ton of great health benefits too. This fruit helps oral cancer prevention, fights tooth decay, and helps with inflammation and remineralization of your teeth with its magnesium properties. So, splurge and enjoy that piece of avocado toast – your oral health will thank you!

Matcha

If you haven’t gotten on the matcha train yet, this might persuade you. Matcha is a product of powdered green tea leaves dissolved in hot water to make tea. It can also be uses as a flavoring. This powder is in everything from cocktails, to lattes, to desserts, and even beauty products! Not only does it taste good, but matcha provides great oral health benefits! It’s rich in antioxidants that help decrease bacteria growth that leads to cavities and relieves inflammation - which reduces the risk of gum disease. It also reduces the risk of oral cancer and helps with bad breath!

Acai

Acai is a reddish-purple fruit that has sprouted in popularity due to the ‘acai bowl’ craze. Found in South America, this berry is dubbed the ‘superfruit’ as it’s full of antioxidants, fiber, and has a ton of health benefits. Some of those health benefits include helping with weight loss, high cholesterol, arthritis and detoxification. There hasn’t been much research done to determine the effects on your oral health. So, if you do consume this fruit, enjoy in moderation!

As food trends come and go, there will always be something to consider that may be helpful or harmful to your oral health. But food is only one component in maintaining your oral health. Make sure to never stray away from the basics of  brushing, flossing and scheduling your cleanings!

*photo by Pixabay