Good Foods for Your Oral Health

Just as some foods can harm your dental health, some can improve your dental health. These foods contain nutrients that can strengthen your teeth, build soft tissues or even help clean your teeth. Our dentist in Los Angeles recommends eating a well-balanced diet including these foods to maximize your oral health.

Cheese and yogurt are high in calcium, which can strengthen teeth and bone. They also both contain a protein called casein, which can remineralize dental enamel. Yogurt is an excellent source of phosphate, too, which also aids in the remineralization process.

Raw vegetables are another food that is good for your teeth. The fibrous nature of veggies forces the mouth to produce extra saliva, which rinses away particles of food and stimulates the remineralization process. Celery is particularly efficient at this, since its strands help clean the teeth mechanically. Fibrous fruits, such as pears, apples, bananas, and mandarin, can also be beneficial, and they are especially good choices, since they can also neutralize acids that can damage delicate dental enamel and increase the risk of dental decay.

Sesame seeds may seem like an odd choice to have on a list of best foods for dental health. However, the seeds are good for mechanically cleaning plaque from teeth, while sesame oil may be able to help heal gingival sores and reduce overall levels of oral bacteria.

Sugar-free gum may not technically be a food, but it, too, can help improve your dental health by increasing your saliva flow, rinsing away food particles and harmful plaque. Additionally, the Xylitol, which sweetens the gum, has been shown to prevent oral bacteria from metabolizing sugar and producing harmful acidic byproducts.

Finally, if you've been drinking bottled water, it may be time to reconsider your options. Tap water frequently contains fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral which can harden your teeth and help prevent tooth decay. If you are unsure whether your local water supply contains fluoride or you are unwilling to give up bottled water, talk to our dentist at your next dental exam about how a fluoride treatment may to benefit you.