Oral hygiene and having healthy teeth is just as important for your wellbeing as exercising and the food you eat. Taking care of your teeth and gums helps prevent gum disease, bad breath and tooth decay. Studies have shown that the healthier your teeth are, the better your overall health will be.¹
Bacteria and inflammatory chemicals found in the mouth (as a result of poor dental hygiene, plaque build-up and tooth decay) can spread through the body via the blood, negatively affecting other tissues in the body. If you’re concerned about your dental health and you want to make your teeth a priority, learn how to improve your dental health naturally and avoid the following foods and drinks that are bad for your teeth.
How does diet affect dental health?
Diet affects dental health in many ways. Certain foods and drinks can stain your teeth, contribute to plaque build-up and damage your tooth enamel due to their acidity. Some foods and drinks (especially those that are high in sugar) lower the pH in your mouth and cause bacteria to proliferate, leading to an array of dental problems including cavities and gum disease.
Overly acidic foods can create enamel erosion where the surface of your teeth dissolves encouraging decay.
For healthier teeth and gums, avoid these 5 foods and drinks:
Sugar-laden foods - confectionery, flavoured yoghurts, processed pasta sauces, snack bars and condiments like ketchup, refined carbohydrates (bread, pastries, biscuits, cakes, breakfast cereals). Sugar is the main contributing factor for tooth decay; when bacteria in the mouth break down the sugar, acid is produced which damages enamel – this initiates tooth decay.
Coffee is highly acidic and can weaken the enamel of your teeth. Black tea can stain teeth and gums due to the tannin content.
Alcohol is high in sugar and very acidic. Drinking red wine, malty beers or dark soft drink mixers such as cola can also cause tooth staining.
Fizzy drinks are extremely high in sugar and they also contain acids which can be damaging to enamel. They also deplete nutrition heavily.
Processed food is relatively devoid of nutrition and depletes your reserves of essential vitamins and minerals.
How to improve dental health naturally
Stop smoking. This is the most important thing you can do to aid your dental health. Did you know that smoking depletes vitamin C drastically? Supplementation is useful as we cannot make this critical vitamin.
Eating more greens and alkalising foods such as vegetables, seeds and legumes to help maintain the pH levels inside your mouth and prevent over-acidity. Rinsing with bicarbonate of soda helps too.
Use a high-quality water filter to avoid fluoridated water. Tap water contains a synthetic, industrial fluoride chemical which can negatively impact bones and teeth, as well as other organs in the body.
Brush your teeth regularly with a natural-bristle toothbrush, 45 minutes after every meal if possible, as this will remove unwanted food particles and prevent plaque from building up.
Use homemade toothpaste made with hydrogen peroxide and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) which will not only help reduce teeth staining, but will also kill off bacteria and reduce infections. You can mix two teaspoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide with one teaspoon of bicarb to make a toothpaste. Make sure the hydrogen peroxide you use is 100% pure, food grade, without harmful additives.
Introduce oil pulling which a practice that involves swirling oil around your mouth to remove bacteria and toxins, and prevent staining. You can use sunflower oil, sesame oil or coconut oil. Put 1 tablespoon of oil in your mouth and swish it around your mouth, back and forth through your teeth. Start with a couple of minutes of oil pulling a day and build up to fifteen to twenty minutes over a period of two to four weeks. If you have amalgam or white fillings, consult with your natural therapy practitioner before oil pulling.
Chewing xylitol gum after meals can help return the mouth to a relatively askaline environment.
Mutans streptococci are a bacterium in plaque and saliva that are major contributors to tooth decay and oral disease. They are incredibly effective at sticking to teeth and enable other bacteria to further colonize them. Plain and simply: xylitol reduces the levels of MS in the mouth. It essentially starves the MS bacterium by not providing any energy to it when metabolized.
Healthy teeth, healthy body
Looking after your teeth and gums is essential for maintaining good overall health. Bacteria and toxins from the mouth can spread through the body causing inflammation and damage to other tissues. Eat a nutritious and alkalising diet, rich in vegetables and avoid damaging foods and drinks like sugar, coffee and alcohol. Brushing your teeth regularly with non-fluoridated toothpaste pays off. Investment in a good-quality water filter and practices like oil pulling help to keep your teeth healthy and strong.
If you would like more information, please get in touch with us here at www.soloranutrition.com for a 15 minute discovery call.
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1598543/
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