Foods that Are Good for Your Teeth

In the last blog, your dentist discussed foods that were bad for your teeth. In this blog, your Corona Dentist wants to talk about the foods that are actually good for your teeth and gums.

How often you eat and what you eat is almost as important as what you put in your mouth. In fact, according to Web MD, the changes in your mouth occur the minute you start eating. The bacteria in your mouth convert carbohydrates and sugars into acid that will attack the protective coating of enamel on your teeth.  If you snack often, you are exposing your teeth to a cycle of tooth decay. The only way to prevent this from happening is to eat healthier food and rinse after you eat.

Your dentist will tell you that some of the best food choices for your teeth and gums include milk, cheese, fish, and meat. These types of foods will protect the enamel on your teeth as they are filled with phosphorus and calcium that is needed in order to remineralize your teeth.

Milk, cheese, and sugar-free yogurt are good choices when it comes to your diet. The calcium in the dairy actually strengthens teeth. In fact, in a recent study, those who enjoyed cheese saw a healthy drop in their mouth pH levels. The lower the pH the better chance your teeth have of fighting tooth decay. Although cheese might stick to your teeth, it is protecting the enamel at the same time.

Meat is loaded with iron, which is important for strong bones and teeth. Beef, chicken, pork, and fish, especially the organ meat, contains important vitamins such as A and D. These vitamins can help your immune system and actually increase mineralization in your bones and teeth.

Include lots of crunchy fruits and vegetables in your diet. Pears, apples, and carrots contain lots of water helping to dilute the natural sugars also contained in the fruits and vegetables. Celery is wonderful as it actually acts as a dental floss of sorts cleaning in-between your teeth as you chew. Fruits and vegetables also help to stimulate saliva flow, which protects your teeth against tooth decay. Citrus fruits such as tomatoes, grapefruits, oranges lemons and limes should be enjoyed with a meal in order to minimize the acids.

According to your dentist, the best beverage choices include lots of water, unsweetened tea, and milk. Try to avoid drinks that contain sugar and if you must have something fizzy, go with sugar substitutes as the do not feed the dangerous bacteria lurking in your mouth.

Try to enjoy as many good teeth foods as possible and remember, if you must indulge in foods that can harm, try your best to keep it to a minimum, and don’t forget to rinse after eating.

For more information on healthy food choices for your teeth, schedule an appointment with your dentist today. 

Sweet Treats are Inevitable during the Holidays

The holidays are here, and that is when your kid’s teeth can get into trouble. All too often, it can be difficult to keep an eye on the candy bowl and your kids, especially if you and the family plan a trip to Grandma’s or Aunt Betty’s this Christmas. Sometimes it is easy to bend the rules, but let your kids eat too many sugary sweets, and starchy foods like cake and cookies, and come January you may be spending more time than you like at dentist. All Smiles Kids Dentist in Corona often sees patients at the beginning of the year because of over indulgence during the holidays.  

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, the holiday ads are everywhere, and unfortunately, families can be totally caught up with the excitement eating mom’s prize winning sugar cookies and the neighbors fudge. Most folks eat their fair share of treats during the holidays promising themselves that they will go on a diet come January, but what about you and your kids teeth?

Candy canes, ginger bread, peanut brittle and salt water taffy may have been good at the time, but if you do not make sure that your kids brush twice and floss once a day, and rinse after enjoying anything sweet, the new year isn’t the only thing you will be ringing in come January 1^st.

Your Corona Kids Dentist will tell you that it doesn’t take long for tooth decay to start and if your kids already have issues, there could be new cavities to fill.

Because sugary drinks and sugary foods produce an abundance of oral bacteria it feeds on the sugary treats that you eat. Harmful acids then begin to form and start to wear down the enamel on your teeth. Once the enamel begins to weaken, you and your kids are much more susceptible to cavities and gingivitis. 

It is impossible to avoid all of those sweet treats during the holidays, but your Kids Dentist in Corona suggests buying one of those travel-sized toothbrushes and keeping it in your bag. Another thing that may help keep cavities at bay is to encourage your kids to eat sweets along with a balanced meal instead of enjoying them on their own. Eating lots of carbs will help their body’s produce more saliva which helps digest foods, especially those cookies, pies, cakes and candies. 

Eating sugary treats during the holidays is usually unavoidable, so why not schedule an appointment with All Smiles today for a checkup. That way you can keep an eye on any problems and get those fillings now.

A Healthy Diet is Just as Important for Your Kids

Your favorite Corona Kids Dentist understands the importance of a good diet, but it is not just your body that suffers. A poor diet can also wreck havoc with your teeth and gums.

According to Readers Digest, there are foods that your kids eat and drinks that could cause serious problems for your teeth and gums. If your toddlers, kids, teens, and young adults continue eating starchy and sugary foods, you could find yourself scheduling more Kids Smiles dental appointments.

Your Kids Pediatric Dentist in Corona knows that raising an infant or toddler can be difficult, but especially so if you are feeding your kids sugary fruit juices. Pacifiers can also cause problems for your kids developing teeth.

Once your toddlers are able to eat solid foods it may be tempting to feed them special treats like cookies and candy, but doing so could cause serious problems. Sugary foods will turn to acids eventually eating away at the enamel on your kids teeth. With that being said, your Kids Dentist in Corona will also recommend that your children avoid starchy foods like white breads, chips, French fries, pretzels, and even pasta as they can get caught in between teeth and turn to sugar almost immediately.

You might think that those lollypops that your bank hands out to your kids will keep them quiet aren't always the best choice. If your kids must have something sweet, All Smiles Kids Dentist in Corona recommends that you give your kids sugar free mints. Hard candies have a dimineralizing effect because you end up sucking on them for a longer period of time.

Gummy bears, toffee, and chocolate can get stuck in-between your kid’s teeth. Your Pediatric Dentist in Corona explains that because the saliva in your mouth is not able to contact that part of your kids tooth in order to neutralize the acid there could be a loss of calcium. You may think you are doing your kids a favor by handing out the dried fruit, but bacteria will convert sugar to acid whether its fruit sugars or refined sugars.

Avoid sodas and never give your kids sports drinks or energy drinks, as they are loaded with sugar. Your Kids Corona Dentist recommends that you get your children to drink plenty of water instead, and if you do feed your kids juice, buy a juicer and make your own.

If you would like more information regarding your kid’s teeth and a healthy diet, schedule an appointment with All Smiles today. The best Kids Dentist in Corona is just a phone call away and can help you teach your kids good habits when it comes to healthy teeth and gums.