It’s important to eat the right foods to keep your body healthy, and the exact same principle applies to your teeth and gums as well. You need to make sure that you’re eating the right diet for healthy teeth and gums, otherwise you can face increasingly serious oral problems such as plaque, decay, gum disease and tooth loss. You should take into account all the foods and drinks that you consume – everything has an impact on your overall oral health.

These are some of the key steps you can take to keep your teeth and gums healthy:

• 1. Eat fruit and vegetables – but go easy on the natural sugars. It’s recommended that you eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day for your general health, as they’re full of nutrients and minerals. They’re also fibre rich, which will help keep your teeth and gums clean and stimulate saliva, offering protection against cavities and gum disease. Just be careful with fruit. Whilst it has many health benefits, too much sugar of any kind can be damaging for your teeth. Fruit also contains fructi acid, which can dissolve the enamel coating on teeth.
• 2. Drink lots of water. This flushes out food and acid on your teeth and gums, reducing bacteria between brushing. It’s also good to drink water with added fluoride to strengthen teeth and reduce the risk of cavities forming. Try substituting sugary drinks for water, and reduce coffee and tea in your diet if you want to avoid stained teeth.
• 3. Reduce sugar intake. Wherever you can, swap sugary snacks for healthier options. Sugar helps to feed bacteria in your mouth, which causes decay and can lead to cavities or even tooth loss. If you do eat sugar, brush your teeth afterwards to protect the enamel.
• 4. Make sure you have enough protein, dairy and phosphorus. Calcium helps replenish minerals in teeth and is also important in forming strong jawbones to hold teeth in place. Calcium requires phosphorus to maximise bone-strengthening properties, which is found in lean proteins. Try consuming diary (milk, cheese, yoghurt), brown rice, meat, poultry, fish, oranges, cabbage, beans and broccoli.

The best way to maintain tooth and gum health is to eat a balanced diet that is rich in all the right nutrients. It’s also important to maintain good oral health practices, including brushing your teeth at least twice a day, flossing regularly, having check-ups with your dentist and visiting the hygienist.

If you’d like any help and advice, talk to the team at High St Dental Care on 01664 562092 or send us a message.