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Dr. Hanna Kinsella runs her own dental practice and founded her own dental range, Icy Bear Dental, which has been featured on expert health and beauty site Get The Gloss. She disclosed the foods which boost tooth health and those which can cause enamel erosion and tooth decay, resulting in a yellowing smile.
Dr. Hanna said: “Although acidic foods such as lemons and limes may be delicious, frequent exposure can erode your enamel.”
Do eat dairy
“Milk, plain yogurt, and other dairy products contain calcium and phosphates which help to put back the minerals that your teeth may have lost due to other foods,” Dr. Hanna said.
“They also help to rebuild tooth enamel.”
Do drink green tea
Dr. Hanna said: “While many people think that tea is bad for the teeth because of staining, green and black teas do actually both contain polyphenols that interact with plaque bacteria.
“These substances either kill or hold back bacteria. This prevents bacteria from growing or making acid that attacks teeth. Depending on the type of water you use to brew your tea, a cup of tea can also be a source of fluoride.”
Lunch
Do eat dehydrated soup
“When you’re picking out your lunch, try to choose foods that contain fluoride,” Dr. Hanna advised.
“This includes powdered juices (as long as they don’t contain a lot of sugar) and dehydrated soups. Commercially prepared foods, such as poultry products, seafood, and powdered cereals, also can be a source of fluoride but again, always check the ingredients for their sugar content.”
Don’t eat bread
Dr. Hanna said: “Unless you’re taking your toothbrush to work with you, try to avoid starchy foods that can get stuck in your mouth at lunchtime.
“Soft bread and chips, for instance, can get trapped between your teeth.”
Do eat celery and carrots
“These vegetables need a lot of chewing which stimulates the flow of saliva,” she added.
“Celery, for me, is the closest thing to nature’s dental floss. Carrots are also one of the great cavity-fighting vegetables as they contain lots of vitamin C, calcium, and keratins which all offer dental benefits.”
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Don’t drink carbonated drinks
Dr. Hanna said: “For a healthier mouth, you need to avoid carbonated soft drinks. These drinks are the leading source of added sugar and to make matters worse most soft drinks have phosphoric and citric acids that wear away tooth enamel.
“Instead, try to drink more water. Fluoridated water can help prevent tooth decay. If you choose bottled water, check the label for the fluoride content.”
Do eat chewing gum
“To stop you reaching out for sugary snacks throughout the day, try sugarless chewing gum,” the expert went on.
“This is a great saliva maker and helps to remove food particles from your mouth.”
Dinner
Do eat fibre
Dr. Hanna said: “Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, beans, avocados, and whole grains are incredibly important for the health in general as well as the teeth. Foods with fiber help keep your teeth and gums clean.
“They also get saliva flowing which helps to stop the acids and bacteria sticking to your teeth. Saliva contains traces of calcium and phosphate. So it also restores minerals to areas of the teeth that have lost them from the bacterial acids.”
Do eat nuts
“Nuts – especially almonds, brazil nuts, and cashews – are packed with a lot of important elements such as calcium and phosphorus which help to fight bacteria that leads to tooth decay,” Dr. Hanna said.
“Cashews are known to stimulate saliva production and walnuts contain everything from fiber, folic acid, iron, thiamine, magnesium, iron, niacin, vitamin E, vitamin B6, potassium, and zinc.”
Do eat chocolate
Dr. Hanna said: “Chocolate is certainly a comfort food, but without added sugar content, it can actually help prevent cavities by keeping certain oral bacteria in check and stopping plaque from forming on teeth.
“Studies have suggested that polyphenols in cocoa successfully kill cavity-causing bacteria and create a barrier between teeth and plaque. If you need something sweet after dinner, stick to cacao nibs or dark chocolate with very little to no sugar.”
Dr. Hanna’s dental care line Icy Bear has been devised to deliver healthy whitening.
The toothpaste, created with “diamond dust”, to fight the discolouration of the teeth caused by coffee, tea, and red wine.
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