Best Foods & Worst Foods for Healthier Gums

Updated on February 25th, 2020
Teeth Gums

“Laughter is brightest in the place where the food is.” The famous Irish proverb says much what this article purports to say. Food is an inevitable part of our lives. A happy body and happy soul cannot sustain without healthy dining. Whatever you eat leaves its footprints deep in your body. It depends on you, whether you want to savor the good or taste bad.

Owing to your greedy taste buds, you might find yourself in the trap of junk foods. These foods hamper your oral health immensely.

If you are someone who always gives up your arms seeing a sumptuous platter, then it’s high time you pay heed to what you are eating and how it is affecting your oral health. Sit and relax!! This article is here at your rescue to make you realize what to eat and what not, to keep your smile intact forever!!!

Your teeth and gums are not only the tools of eating but are also reflectors of your personality. White teeth, odorless mouth, healthy gums are all signs of good oral hygiene. Good oral health gives you the confidence of carrying a beautiful smile on your face always.

Your teeth and gums require certain nutrients to remain in good condition. Foods that boast of a high content of calcium, vitamins A and D, phosphorus, along with fiber turn out to be your friends for good dental health.

However, certain foods can be very harmful to your teeth. Foods with an acidic pH damages the enamel of the teeth by disintegrating the mineral density of the teeth and hence causes a decay. Whereas pigmented foods are harmful too for your teeth as while biting and chewing on these foods the vicious pigments present in the foods cause the enamel to decolorize and degrades its health to a greater extent.

Alarming Factors that Affect Tooth Decay

There are several factors which directly affect the incidence of tooth decay in your body. These factors include:

  • Not only the type of food you eat but also the structure and state of whatever you eat affects your dental health. The foods you ingest can be-liquid, solid, sticky, or slow to dissolve. Different forms of food affect your teeth differently.
  • The nutritional constituents of the food
  • The combination of the foods you eat and the manner in which you eat them
  • How often you satisfy your hunger pangs for sweets and beverages and also foods and drinks involving acid content
  • Eating disorders and medical conditions such as gastrointestinal reflux

How snacks hamper your oral health?

Dentists usually advise people to keep a check on eating and drinking in between your meals as mostly these snacks comprise of the harmful sweets and chips. These snacks aggravate the bacteria build-up and harm the gums eventually. The preservatives and emulsifiers present in these snacks make the enamel thin and susceptive to damage.

Have you ever wondered what plaque is?

Dental plaque refers to the sticky, pale yellow deposit of biofilm on your teeth which eventually hardens by mineral deposits from the saliva and form tartar.

Researchers say that nearly 68% of adults have tartar which is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.

The Absolute NO-NO Foods for Your Healthy Teeth

  1. Candy
  2. Citrus Fruits
  3. Starchy Carbs
  4. Popcorn
  5. Caffeinated Beverages
  6. Pickles
  7. Dried Fruits
  8. Sports Drinks
  9. Fruit Juice
  10. Alcohol

1. Candy

candy
Image: ShutterStock

Who in this world doesn’t love to relish the taste of tasty, sugary confections? But this bundle of happiness is loaded with pure sugar which is harmful to your teeth and gums. Those delicious, sticky candies like gummy bears are very bad for your oral health.

These candies get stick onto your teeth and foster bacterial growth. Lollipops are also a boon for the harmful bacteria in your mouth. You spend hours licking your favorite lollipop and the bacteria in your mouth merrily destroy your teeth during the same time.

2. Citrus Fruits

Admit it!! We all have a special place in our tummy and heart for all that tanginess that citrus fruits bestow upon us. A wide variety of citrus fruits are available in the market to satisfy your cravings including oranges, lemons, limes, and tangerines.

But alas!! All good things have bad sides too!!! These juicy fruits contain high acid content. Acid causes erosion of tooth enamel and also leads to tooth decay and gum diseases.

3. Starchy Carbs

A steamy bowl of hot cheesy white sauce pasta is enough to drive you crazy. But do you know that the same pasta hampers your tooth immensely? White bread, pasta, and other starchy carbs pose detrimental effects on your oral health.

Starchy carbs start converting to sugar quickly, and as you know sugar and oral health don’t go hand in hand, they harm your teeth. They sweep into the tiny nooks and crannies of your teeth quickly. This property of the starchy foods allows more and more of bacteria to flourish in your mouth.

4. Popcorn

pop corn
Image: ShutterStock

If you go for a movie without a bucket of popcorn, then is your movie date even complete? Munching on popcorn in between the film is a must. This delicious light snack comes with some drawbacks as well.

The popcorn husks get stuck in the spaces between your teeth. This situation leads to a gum abscess which indicates a throbbing infection inside your mouth. If left untreated for a long time, the gum abscess can lead to a tooth loss as well.

5. Caffeinated beverages

A hot, sweet, and tasty cup of coffee is all to make you happy. However, the same cup of coffee affects the flow of saliva in your mouth in a negative way. These drinks lead to dryness in your mouth which in turn makes your mouth a happy playground for the harmful bacteria. A dry mouth is more vulnerable to the attack of germs and bacteria than a mouth with adequate saliva.

6. Pickles

Your favorite sandwich topping can also be an enemy to your oral health. Yes, we are talking about the sour-flavored pickles. Pickles require vinegar for preservative purposes as well as to give them the sourness the pickles are famous for but increases its acidity.

7. Dried fruits

dry fruits
Image: ShutterStock

Dry fruits are rich sources of vitamins and antioxidants which are suitable for your overall health. These dry fruits are also rich in sugar content which is an enemy of your teeth enamel.

Dry fruits are rich sources of vitamins and antioxidants which are suitable for your overall health. These dry fruits are also rich in sugar content which is amongst the best companions of the harmful bacteria of your mouth.

8. Sports Drinks

Sports drinks might help you get your body in shape, but these drinks are not free from limitations. As per a study conducted in 2009, sports drinks weaken your tooth enamel as they are high in acid and sugar content. These drinks are a combination of both the main constituents of tooth decay-sugar and acid.

9. Fruit Juice

fruit juice
Image: ShutterStock

Although fruit juices boast of several health benefits, the drinks are indeed not a good choice for oral health. These liquids have a high concentration of sugar in them. The harmful bacteria in your mouth act upon the sugars and produce acid. Some high-acidic fluids include- tomato juice, cranberry juice, and juice from citrus fruits.

10. Alcohol

alcohol
Image: ShutterStock

The saliva in your mouth not only keeps your mouth hydrated but it also boasts of specific proteins and minerals that protect your enamel. Alcohol helps in the drying of mouth by inhibiting the flow of saliva.  A dry mouth makes you more susceptible to the attack of infection-causing germs and preventing tooth decay.

Beneficial Foods for the Good Health of your Teeth

You now know what foods hamper your teeth. Let’s move on to some foods that work tremendously well in keeping your oral health good.

  1. Celery
  2. Coconut Oil
  3. Dairy Products
  4. Strawberry
  5. Green And Black Tea
  6. Nuts
  7. Kefir
  8. Garlic
  9. Kale And Spinach
  10. Milk

1. Celery

This magical green-colored food forces you to chew more. An excess of chewing produces more saliva in your mouth hat also aids in better digestion. Celery also works well in keeping your tissues healthy and prevents the outburst of cavities in your mouth.

2. Coconut oil

coconut oil
Image:ShutterStock

Apart from being a culinary ingredient, coconut oil is an excellent solution to maintain your oral health. You can indulge in coconut oil-pulling for ten to twenty minutes. Swish a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth and rinse after some time. It removes toxins from your mouth and helps to prevent tooth decay.

3. Dairy products

Dairy products come with a lot of calcium. So, to keep your teeth and gums healthy it is good to indulge in dairy love. Cheese, yogurt, milk, butter, etc. are some of the products which you can ingest on a daily basis. These products help to prevent decaying of the tooth and in turn keep your oral health fine.

4. Strawberry

strawberry
Image: ShutterStock

Strawberries are a powerhouse of malic acid. This acid acts as a natural teeth whitener. It helps to whiten the teeth enamel and clears the tartar build-up. To make this teeth whitener at home, crush some strawberries and add a little baking soda into it. Mix it properly and apply on your teeth and rinse it after keeping for 3-4 minutes. Rinse your mouth with cold water and floss out the seeds if struck.

5. Green and black tea

Green tea and black tea are rich in polyphenols that help to curb the bacteria build-up in the teeth. It also fights against the toxins produced by this bacteria in the teeth. Both the teas are rich in fluoride that keeps up the good health of teeth.

6. Nuts

Nuts are a good source of phosphorus and calcium. These elements directly work on building barriers against the tooth decay that the harmful bacteria cause to the teeth. The best nuts for enhancing the health of your teeth are brazil nuts, almonds, and cashews.

7. Kefir

kefir
Image: ShutterStock

Kefir is a drink made up of fermented milk. It is rich in vitamin A, D, K2 and has a rich fatty acid profile that works the best to enhance the health of your gums and teeth. Its rich content of lactic acid bacteria and yeast are incredibly beneficial for the excellent health of the gut that in turn controls the bleeding problems of the abdomen.

8. Garlic

It might be hard to believe that this strong flavouring food will help protect your teeth! Yes, it is true. Garlic contains allicin that is rich in potent anti-microbial properties. They fight against the symptoms of tooth decay and is the best to fight periodontal disease.

9. Kale and spinach

These leafy greens are rich in folic acid, calcium and potent vitamins that can be the best friends of your teeth. They help protect the enamel and aids to fight against the bacterial decay.

10. Milk

milk and baking soda
Image:ShutterStock

Milk is one of the most favorite drink not just for your body but for your teeth too. Its rich content of calcium helps to lower the acid level in the mouth which helps to avert tooth decay.

Food is part and parcel of your life. For a healthy living, it is good that your body functions properly. But it is also equally important to maintain the health of your mouth. By paying proper attention to your oral health, you can readily be the owner of a beautiful smile. Apart from brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day, it is also essential to keep a check on what you are eating.

After reading this article, you are now well aware of what to eat and what to avoid. However, you don’t have to cut out the foods from your diet completely. You can take them, but be cautious to rinse and brush your teeth after consuming them. If you follow all the oral health procedures, then your teeth and gums will be happy forever.

View Comments (0)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Scroll To Top

Sign up for our Newsletter !
Get access to quality &
Natural Health Tips right from the Experts
Subscribe !
Send this to a friend