How To Improve Your Oral Health Between Cleanings: The Foods You Eat Matter

What you eat and drink is just as important to your oral health as brushing and flossing regularly. If you already go to the dentist twice a year, then you understand the importance of keeping your teeth clean. When you suffer from problems such as bleeding gums or frequent decay, your dentist may even recommend visits every three months. You can help your teeth and gums by eating foods that help clean your teeth and by drinking liquids that don't cause harm to your oral health. While you may understand that sugary foods and drinks are bad for your teeth, it's important to understand why healthy foods and drinks are so important.

Water Helps

Drinking water instead of sugary drinks is obvious, but there are other reasons to drink enough water every day that affect your oral health. Water helps rinse harmful bacteria from your mouth and keeps your gums hydrated. When your mouth is consistently dry, your gums and teeth can suffer. Drinking water throughout the day helps prevent dry, cracked lips, tooth decay, and infections that can occur in your mouth. 

Raw, Crunchy Vegetables Make a Difference

When you eat raw, crunchy vegetables, you are giving your body the vitamins and minerals you need to maintain your health. Your teeth and gums need plenty of nutrients to remain healthy, but crunchy vegetables also have additional benefits. When you eat vegetables that are raw, many act as a mild abrasive on your teeth. This helps clean your teeth between the times you brush them and stimulates your gums to help promote circulation. If you suffer from bleeding gums, you need to get circulation going in order to allow your gums to heal.

Sugarless Gum Can Help You

If you suffer from dry mouth and drinking plenty of water isn't enough, chewing sugarless gum can help improve your oral health. Chewing gum stimulates saliva production, which helps clean your mouth and teeth. Make sure the gum is sugarless, or you will be doing more harm than good by chewing gum.

Calcium Protects Teeth

Your teeth need plenty of calcium to remain healthy. Calcium is found in milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products. Calcium is also found in many fortified cereals. To protect your teeth, getting enough calcium in your daily diet is important.

You can keep your teeth and mouth healthier, simply by choosing foods and drinks that help clean your teeth and don't cause harm.

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