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Top 7 Foods to Protect your Teeth and Gums

by Yusuf

The type of food you eat can really influence your healthy smile exactly like flossing and brushing, imagine! Actually, each time you consume processed sugars or starches, you are helping the bacteria in your mouth to form more and more acids which cause all types of tooth caries , gingival and periodontal problems. Some foods can naturally fight caries, prevent plaque accumulation, make your enamel stronger, and give you a fresh breath.

Don’t miss these seven

1.Celery
celeryChewing raw celery can protect your teeth in many ways; it will stimulate more salivary flow thus washing harmful bacteria, besides, celery is a natural abrasive food which can cause massaging of your gingiva and removing of the accumulated foods between your teeth.

2.Green tea
green teaGreen tea contains very potent antioxidants called catechins; these substances are proved to kill oral bacteria which can convert sugar to plaque. Catechins can also eliminate the bacteria which causes halitosis. Try to drink two to five cups of green tea (decaffeinated) regularly.

3.Kiwis
kiwisKiwis are very rich in vitamin C; actually, a big kiwi can provide you with more than your daily recommended dose of vitamin C by 100%.
Well, vitamin C is very important for the integrity of the collagen fibers in your gingiva, if this collagen network is impaired, the bacteria can easily attack and invade your gingiva, causing you inflamed and bleeding gums.

4.Parsley
parsleyIf you chew parsley or mint after a pungent meal, you will maintain a fresh breath for a long time. As such herbs are rich in volatile substances called monoterpenes which travel quickly through your blood to reach your lungs, and their nice smell will be released in your breath.

5.Shiitake Mushrooms

Shiitake MushroomsA recent study has suggested that shiitake mushroom contains a special type of sugar known as lentinan; this sugar can prevent oral bacteria from forming dental plaque.

6.Wasabi

wasabiSubstance which causes Wasabi or Japanese horse-radish to be very hot is called isothiocyanates. In 2000, scientists have proved that isothiocyanates inhibits the growth of bacteria causing tooth decay. Believe it; eating wasabi few times weekly can protect your teeth from dental caries.

7.Water

waterIt is recommended to drink eight glasses of pure water daily, actually, this is the best way to keep your gingiva hydrated and maintain a good salivary flow. Saliva is your best natural defense mechanism against harmful bacteria that causes dental caries and oral plaque. Furthermore, if it is difficult to brush your teeth after each meal, make sure you rinse your mouth with pure water, as water can wash excess food debris from your mouth and deprive harmful oral bacteria from their major source of nutrition.

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

Toronto Dentist :) June 20, 2010 at 7:21 AM

That’s a lot of wasabi!
Drinking lots of water must go hand-in-hand with that…
Joe :)

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Gum Disease Treatment September 3, 2010 at 12:00 PM

There are Lot of Ayurvedic medicine that helps in protecting teeth.. Besides these thing if we check out our teeth on time to time with dentist then it 100% security from germ cares in teeth

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Brazilian Dentist November 23, 2010 at 12:58 AM

People should know those tips. They’re great.

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Chicago Pediatric Dentist December 28, 2010 at 9:21 PM

WASABI IS GREAT! Do you think the kids will eat it?

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Aly April 14, 2011 at 7:05 PM

The list of foods that benefit someones teeth and gums is very interesting! I never knew that wasabi and shiitake mushrooms can help fight bacteria in the mouth. I have heard that raisins are also good for a persons teeth, I am not sure why though. I will just have to stick to eating a lot of kiwi’s and drinking many cups of green tea!

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