Patients and doctors recognize that there are many foods that can damage a tooth’s integrity. You might ask yourself if coffee or dark sodas can permanently damage your teeth. But, this is a common question that most people know the answer to. From your Los Angeles cosmetic dentist, the answer is Yes.
However, there are also some foods and habits that can be beneficial to your teeth’s integrity?
General dental hygiene habits are great for your teeth, but there are many foods that can help you gain an even better and whiter smile than what you have today. In fact, different types of food that intensify your saliva production are great for naturally cleaning your teeth. Extra saliva in your mouth allows you to wash off food leftovers and neutralize acidic foods as they enter your mouth. Tooth enamel is one of the hardest substances in the body, but it is weak when it is confronted with acidic foods, which is why you saliva is important. Foods that can help with this include cheese, milk and sugar free gum and drinks.
Now if you are a fish lover you might find amazing that eating fish, as well as flaxseeds, can help avoid gum disease. Gum disease is nothing more than the extreme inflammation of gum, which can affect your smile’s appearance and your teeth’s health. Fish and flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent gum inflammation, which can lead to gum disease.
Of course, we will provide to you the classic list of foods you will need to avoid. These foods include sugary drinks, snack and acidic beverages. All of these foods induce bacterial growth which increase the concentration of acid which lead to cavities and erode enamel. Also, take into consideration that some starchy foods can increase the level of acids in your mouth, some include: potatoes, pasta and rice. As we mentioned earlier, drinks such as coffee can stain your teeth and erode your dental enamel. We hope you enjoyed this article fro your Los Angeles cosmetic dentist.