You’ve probably heard plenty of advice about what NOT to do when it comes to maintaining good oral health – advice on what NOT to eat, for example. So we’ve decided to take another point of view and focus, instead, on what you SHOULD eat to promote stronger teeth. Fortunately, there is a nice variety of delicious foods that actually benefit your teeth. Here are some tasty, tooth-healthy foods to add to your next shopping list.
- Butter –– Before you pass over this delicious dairy product on your next trip to the grocery store, consider this: butter (as long as it comes from grass-fed cows) is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin K2, all of which are excellent for your oral health. While it’s true that we should practice moderation in virtually everything we eat – including butter – this tooth-healthy food is not nearly the culprit it has been made out to be, and can actually help to strengthen your teeth.
- Avocados – Health food experts have been recommending avocados for many years and with good reason. They’re packed with healthy fat, as well as potassium, folate and vitamins C, B5 and B6. But you may not know that the prebiotic fiber contained in avocados feeds probiotic bacteria in your oral microbiome, and that promotes good oral health. In fact, recent studies have shown that avocados may actually help reduce your risk of developing oral cancer.
- Garlic – If you’re a garlic lover, we have some very good news. Garlic is a delicious way to improve your oral health. In addition to its antibacterial properties, garlic contains a chemical called allicin, which researchers believe helps to control the bad bacteria that exists in your mouth and can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.
- Asparagus – Even people who don’t like vegetables often love asparagus. No matter how it’s prepared – whether grilled, sautéed, steamed, or combined with other ingredients in a yummy cream soup – asparagus is not only nutritious, but delicious as well. It’s also full of a prebiotic fiber that assists your digestive system in digesting probiotics, which are the good bacteria that keeps your GI tract in tip-top shape. And when the microbiome in your gut is healthy, your teeth are as well.
With all the health news warning us of what we SHOULD NOT be doing, what a pleasure to learn about these foods that are actually good for us overall, in addition to benefiting our oral health. So pass the butter and the guacamole, use garlic as much as you’d like, and indulge in that cream of asparagus soup! Your teeth and gums will thank you.
