Your diet can have a significant impact on your overall well-being. It can also affect your oral health, which is why dentists emphasize the importance of a healthy diet when it comes to a good dental care routine. Certain foods should be front and center when it comes to your diet, while others should be consumed sparingly to ensure your smile remains bright.

Do:

Get enough calcium.

Calcium is essential for strong teeth and healthy bones. You can get calcium from dairy products, as well as vegetables like broccoli. If you feel your intake is lacking, look for supplements or foods fortified with calcium, such as certain types of orange juice.

Stay hydrated.

Drinking plenty of water should be a part of your dental care regimen. After eating, left behind food debris and acids can provide bacteria sustenance to grow, which can lead to decay. Drinking water helps cleanse the mouth while increasing hydration and preventing dry-mouth.

Make fibrous foods a staple.

Fruits and vegetables high in fiber are great for their nutritional content, but they can also help keep your smile bright. That’s because these foods have natural scrubbing properties, which means they gently remove stains from your teeth.

Don’t:

Consume sugary drinks.

Liquids like sodas, energy drinks, and sweetened ice teas contain high amounts of sugar. Sugar can decay teeth overtime, which is why dentists recommend cutting back on your intake of sugar-laden drinks. Using a straw can be beneficial when you do partake, as this will limit the beverage’s contact with your teeth.

Overload on acid.

While citrus fruits are indeed good for you, their high acid content can damage tooth enamel. Fortunately, rinsing your mouth after eating acidic foods can help keep tooth enamel intact.

Eat too many refined carbohydrates.

Much like sugar, bacteria in the mouth can feed on refined carbohydrates, which can be found in bread, pasta, and potato chips. Refined carbohydrates also cause the acid levels in your mouth to increase, which will impact tooth enamel.

 

Monitoring what you eat is essential to your dental care routine, along with visiting your dentist regularly. From his practice in Kenai, AK, James Julien, DDS, provides patients the best in dental care, offering everything from routine teeth cleaning to implants. Schedule an appointment with this family dentist today by calling (907) 283-4857, or visit the website to see the full listing of services.