The Top 7 Best Foods to Strengthen Your Teeth

Teeth play a very crucial role in food digestion, which is why maintaining good oral health is very important. One of the best ways to ensure that you have healthy teeth is to ensure that you eat nutritionally-rich foods to help strengthen them.

Below are the top 7 foods that can help you have healthy and long lasting teeth for a lifetime of healthy smiles:

1. Protein-rich foods
The body requires proteins to build and repair worn out tissues. Protein also contains high levels of phosphorous, which is a vital component in improving the strength of both your teeth and jaw. Also, it helps balance the pH levels in the mouth, discouraging the growth of cavity-causing bacteria. Meat, eggs, tofu, beans, nuts and green, leafy vegetables are all good sources of protein.

2. Calcium-rich foods
Calcium is great for increasing the strength of your bones and teeth. Milk, cheese and other dairy products are a great source but if you’re lactose intolerant, soy milk is a good alternative. Sesame seeds are also calcium rich.

3. Vitamin C-rich foods
Vitamin C helps to kill off of most of the acid-creating bacteria that are currently on the surface of your teeth. It also helps the cells that are involved in the formation of teeth. Certain fruits such as strawberries, grapefruit, oranges, apples, kiwis, cranberries and limes have high levels of vitamin C and other antioxidants that help maintain the overall health of the oral cavity.

4. Vitamin D-rich foods
Vitamin D helps the body properly utilize calcium, aiding in enamel development. Because it is a hormone, its job is to tell your intestines to absorb the calcium you consume. If your body does not absorb enough calcium, it breaks down the calcium in your bones and teeth, making them brittle. By helping the absorption of calcium, vitamin D helps your enamel from wearing away. Fish is one of the few foods which contains vitamin D.

5. Magnesium-rich foods
Magnesium aids in both strengthening both the tooth enamel and the jaw. Whole grains such as rice, corn, barley, wheat and oats all contain high amounts of magnesium. Be sure to steer clear of processed grains as much as possible as they tend just to dissolve into sugars in your mouth, which has detrimental effects on your teeth.

6. Fluoride-rich foods
Fluoride is a mineral supplement that helps make your teeth healthier by helping to prevent tooth decay. While your toothpaste may provide enough, teas provide extra help as they naturally contain fluoride. Plus, they are a great alternative to coffee, which can stain your teeth. Green tea also contains polyphenol that protects the teeth by preventing plaque from adhering to its surface.

7. Water
Drinking water is just as effective as mouthwash at removing bacteria from your mouth, so make water your friend!

We recommend that you stay away from sugars, acidic foods and drinks, and highly processed foods, and hard foods (which can chip away at your teeth).