Keeping our enamel nice and strong is really important, so we’re here with four foods and drinks that can help to do just that! Incorporating more of these foods into your diet throughout the week can help you to keep your enamel, along with your mouth and gums, nice and healthy, to prolong the life of your natural teeth. You also need to keep up with your regular dental checkups, of course!
Dairy Products
First up we have dairy products, which increase the pH levels in the mouth, to reduce acidity and therefore fight off cavities! As well as this, they also contain caseins which help to build a protective layer over the enamel on the teeth to stop the bacteria and natural acids in the mouth from damaging the enamel. Make sure that you choose lower sugar dairy products where you can, such as Greek yoghurt, cheese and milk, and these also tend to contain higher levels of protein and therefore casein.
Leafy Greens
Another group of foods you should be eating more are leafy greens, as they also help to reinforce the enamel of the teeth, just like dairy products. The folic acids in leafy greens can also help you to reduce the chance of developing gum disease. A perfect dish to combine these two food groups for a super healthy meal is a cauliflower cheese dish with leafy greens in it! Delicious, loved by all the family and fantastic for your oral health.
Water
The absolute best drink to help strengthen your enamel is water! Water should be such an essential part of your diet, as after you’ve eaten, it helps you to wash away some of the residue from whatever you have consumed. This could help to wash away acidic substances, leftover food or sugar. So, drinking water throughout the day is so important to help remove damaging substances from your mouth and to protect your enamel. If you have anything like Invisalign aligners, then this is especially important, to help prevent any bacteria getting stuck in your retainers. This absolutely doesn’t replace flossing, brushing and mouthwash, but it is a great thing to utilise throughout the day.
Green Tea
Last but certainly not least, we have green tea. This drink is known to protect your enamel as it contains strong bacteria-killing properties, so it helps to stop bacteria from causing damage. So, along with your water, drink a few cups of green tea throughout the day. You can get quite a few different flavoured green teas if you don’t really like the taste, but many people actually really like it so definitely give it a go!