The Role of Nutrition in Oral Health: Foods That Strengthen Your Teeth

There are so many things you can do to protect your teeth and ensure they last a lifetime. From brushing twice a day, to making sure you visit the dentist regularly for a checkup. You can also adjust your diet to ensure you are supporting your oral health.

Read on to learn more about the link between oral health and nutrition and how you can adjust your diet to keep your teeth strong and white.

Nutrients essential for oral health

If you’re interested in improving your oral health, consider adding the following vitamins and minerals into your diet:

• Vitamin A: This helps to build tooth enamel and allows your body to produce saliva, which helps to neutralise acids in your mouth.

• Vitamin C: Essential for healthy gums and normal healing.

• Vitamin D: Fights inflammation and decay while also helping with tooth mineralisation

• Vitamin K2: Helps to keep bones and teeth strong.

• Calcium: Helps to form and maintain strong bones and teeth.

• Phosphorus: Helps the body to absorb more calcium and rebuild tooth enamel.

As you can see, there’s more to maintaining oral health through nutrition than just skipping the sugar and sweets.

Which foods support healthy teeth?

While you could take a multivitamin to help support your oral health, you could also look for food sources that are rich in these vitamins and minerals. This is often preferred, as you can enjoy the added benefits of chewing these foods.

Some of these foods can help to counter the negative effects of occasional treats and help to protect your teeth throughout the day. So while a multivitamin might help to address any shortfalls in your current dietary choices, a rich and varied diet will always be better for oral health.

The following foods will help to strengthen your teeth and protect your teeth and gums:

• Dairy – perhaps the most obvious choice and the one that most people know is the entire dairy food group. Dairy is rich in calcium and Vitamin D. Eating dairy can also help to neutralise acids in your mouth and support tooth remineralisation.

• Leafy green vegetables – loading up your plate with leafy greens like broccoli, cabbage, kale and spinach can deliver a boost of vitamins A, C, E and K. These foods are also high in fibre and low in sugar, which is a winning combination for your teeth.

• Salmon – this oily fish is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. It is widely considered to be a superfood.

• Apples – the humble apple doesn’t only keep the doctor away, it can also keep the dentist away. Apples are known as nature’s toothbrush as they offer a natural cleaning motion for your teeth when you bite and chew them. They are also lower in sugar and less acidic than many other fruit choices.

• Green tea – if you’re looking for a low sugar, low calorie option that won’t damage your teeth, consider green tea. This drink can help to neutralise the acids in your mouth throughout the day, so you can enjoy it after a meal to help protect your teeth from damage.

Looking for personalised advice?

Not sure which food choices are right for you? Book an appointment with our dental hygiene team to learn more about how you can support your oral health with your dietary choices.