Dental Professionals of Lincoln Park promote dental health in all aspects of your life, including your eating habits. Start your summer with a new variety of healthy, delicious food that not only promote your general health but also your dental health. Fruits and vegetables are among the many options that you should add to your food palette. Maintain body and dental health with these smile-friendly summer snacks.
Watermelon not only helps keep you hydrated because it is made up of 92 percent water. Due to the high water level, watermelon dilutes the sugars the fruit contains and stimulates the flow of saliva, helping protect teeth from anaerobic bacteria. Watermelon is a healthy, filling and tasty treat that is especially good on a hot day in the summer.
Strawberries are another summer fruit that will cool you off on a hot summer day. They also contain Malic acid, which is nature’s bleaching agent. It is a natural enamel whitener and works to remove stains on the surface of your teeth. Be careful of the seeds—make sure to bring floss along in case they get stuck in your teeth!
Taking a break from fruit snacks, cheese is a great source of cavity-fighting calcium and also has a protein found in milk called casein that strengthens the surface of your teeth. Also, studies have displayed that cheese raises levels of dental plaque pH that helps defend teeth against decay. Aged parmesan is a recommended remedy for acid exposure.
Pears have a fibrous consistent, which helps them stimulate saliva and is key to our dental health. They lower plaque levels in our mouth and are a barrier for teeth against harmful acids.
A general tip in terms of fruit is to avoid dried fruit because they tend to be sticky and sugary, which is not a teeth-friendly combination.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away—and the dentist! Apples are another water filled fruit that are also very fibrous. The fiber provides a scrubbing effect that cleans the surface of your teeth as you eat them. They also remove newly formed dental plaque. If you want to go the extra mile, rinse your mouth out with water after you eat an apple for maximum teeth-cleaning benefits.
Eat one of these teeth-friendly summer snacks and you are keeping up with your dental health without much effort! Contact Dental Professionals of Lincoln Park for an appointment or to learn more about our services today!
Courtesy of: TheraBreath