Tooth Protective Foods: Are There Such Things?
Unpopped ‘old maids’ are responsible for many a cracked, split or chipped tooth as well; ditto for using teeth as an opening, clamping or scraping tool. Any and all of which are sure to put a dampener on a late-night, weekend binge fest.
Dentists are not fans of white bread either.
You’d be hard pressed finding a food that requires less chewing – and that’s pretty much the reason it doesn’t make the grade. It offers no resistance, which is not only necessary for good jaw muscle strength and bone density, it also helps keep teeth aligned. The paste-like, refined carbohydrate and sugar substance it ends up being, adheres well to tooth surfaces, and remains a handy food source for cavity and gum disease pathogens to survive, thrive and multiply.
Depending on the bacteria, it’s excreted as an acid that can eat through tooth enamel, or builds up as sticky dental plaque. The resident anaerobic microbes set up home beneath the gum line, creating pockets and eventually affecting both tooth support structures – soft tissue and hard bone.
You’ve got to wonder if there are any sugars that are not damaging to teeth. It’s not the sugar per se, but the environment it creates and the resulting damaging reaction.
It’s a common myth that natural sugars are better for your oral health. Honey, maple syrup and agave for example, are heralded as healthier choices. Two of these are in fact sugar syrup concentrates; processed products from a natural source. Honey is also a processed; and cheaper honeys are often blended with sugar syrups. Just how much better intrinsic sugars might be (found in milk, fruit, vegetables and grains for example), and free sugars that are added either during the manufacturing process or at the point of consumption, is the assumption that bacteria knows the difference.
It doesn’t. It’s just fuel for its existence and proliferation.
Essentially, the difference is the quantity. By definition, processed and ultra processed foods will contain more sugar. Some will argue that sucrose is more harmful than fructose because it’s more viscid, but that’s not significant enough a variability to ultimately produce a dissimilar result.
On the whole, it’s frequency, quantity and timing – not quality – that matter when it comes to the harm sugar has on oral health.
Don’t have it regularly, don’t have much of it and don’t eat it before you go to bed. Any time you’re not prepared to wait half-an-hour to thoroughly brush your teeth, at least rinse with water fairly immediately to reduce its harmful effect.
Tooth protection also of course extends to mouthguards, and there are many types. Designed to prevent, or at least minimise the risk of injury to the mouth, teeth, and jaw in high-impact and contact sports, it’s a revolution in safety that began in 1890 London.
Originally made of resin, and designed by dentist Woolf Krause for boxers, by 1930 it was being made of rubber from an impression of the teeth, and proving more durable, comfortable and stable. A less noticeable, transparent, acrylic mouthguard with a more precise fit was the breakthrough in 1947 that lead to its widespread popularity among football and basketball players.
Throughout the ’60s and ’70s mouthguards continued to develop, and became mandatory across all competitive contact sports.
A further fifty years of innovation has us currently presented with four types: over the counter, boil and bite, custom dental, and SISU medical grade thermopolymer. Not only are they able to be completely personalised, but smartphone and computer connectivity for performance feedback and real-time impact data is a highly praised option.
It puts protective gear up a few gears.
An interesting aspect of the structure of teeth, is that they are not static. Although they certainly feel hard all the time, they’re in a very dynamic, rhythmic on-going process of flux: demineralising and weakening, then mineralising and strengthening. Eating and drinking demineralises them to a degree, and the minerals in healthy saliva puts it back.
Saliva needs time to interact with teeth surfaces in order for this saturated mineral replenishment to happen. Sipping drinks between meals completely takes this opportunity away – and it’s quite usual now, for it to take some hours to finish acidic drinks (being coffee, all carbonated drinks, sports drinks and juices) or to simply keep refilling them.
All day grazing is also not uncommon. While it may be conducive and convenient for specific routines or dietary needs, it’s not in sync with robust oral health.
Without a decent amount of time with nothing being consumed, remineralisation can never effectively take place. Constantly drinking water also affects the normal consistency of saliva by changing and diluting it; rendering it less potent and less active.
It’s not to say of course that there should be no drinking of water. However, to protect your oral health it should be enjoyed in limited short sessions, in preference to a slow, prolonged drink over the course of the day.
Just a teaspoon, spread over the day, taken at the end of meals and prior going to bed, will produce saliva with a pH balance that corrects oral acidity, thereby protecting dental enamel and supporting useful microbial colonies.
There are a number of tooth protective foods, with cheese being one of them. It’s what makes it a good choice at the end of a meal. A recent study in Denmark had children given a small piece of cheese after breakfast. Results revealed that these children had fewer cavities than those who were not given the cheese; and that a small glass of grass-fed whole milk reflected similarly positive results.
Raspberries and blackberries naturally contain a small amount of xylitol, making them suitable alkalisers at the end of a meal. A dusting of extra xylitol is an advantage. Avocado, as well as strawberries are also very good tooth protective foods.
Specific food pairings assist with the absorption of calcium and minerals – banana and dairy being one. Not ice cream of course (far too sugary), but Greek yoghurt, pure cream, sour cream, kefir or labneh are perfect accompaniments.
Fresh pineapple contains the bromelian group of enzymes, as well as vitamins A, C and K which are all very beneficial for gum repair and gum health. Because of its acidity, to protect tooth enamel it must be eaten in combination with yoghurt. A small amount of these two foods at the beginning of a meal will greatly assist the healing process. Even if it doesn’t become a daily part of oral health self-care, it’s a good home treatment over a week or two either side an extraction.
Gut health impacts oral microbiome (and vice versa). Probiotic fermented foods like sauerkraut, natto, kimchi, pickles and soft cheeses are abundant in beneficial bacteria. Lettuce, celery, beets, onion, garlic and mushroom are not only good for digestive health but they are mineral boosters for the blood. The networking between capillaries and salivary glands is how a mineral-rich concentrate ends up in our mouth.
These are not the only protective foods for good oral health. There are others and it’s not difficult to find which ones, and include them in a balanced diet.
The best nutrition is important in building and maintaining a smile that is a source of pride and confidence. It will never negate the need for the professional skills and care of a dentist. Hands down, hand-in-hand, it’s a formidible combination in combating dental dilemmas and disasters.
Disclaimer: The material posted is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Results vary with each patient. Any dental procedure carries risks and benefits. If you have any specific questions about any dental and/or medical matter, you should consult your dentist, physician or other professional healthcare providers.
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