10 Surprising Habits and Foods that Protect your Teeth

10 Surprising Habits and Foods that Protect your Teeth

1. Limit carbohydrates to mealtimes
Even not-so-sweet treats—like a handful of potato chips or a whole wheat roll—can be as damaging to your teeth and gums as a double-fudge brownie, if you're not careful.

That's because all carbohydrates break down into simple sugars, which are ultimately converted by bacteria in the mouth into plaque, a sticky residue that is the primary trigger of gum disease and cavities. Carb-based foods, such as breads and crackers, tend to have a chewy, adhesive texture, making it easier for them to get caught between teeth or under the gum line, where bacteria can then accumulate

Smile Rx: Have carbohydrates at mealtimes rather than as a snack: When you eat a larger amount of food, you produce more saliva, which helps wash food particles away.


2. Don't drink and brush
Here's one time when you should not clean your teeth...

Don’t brush right after you drink a soda or other acidic beverage. Acid in the drink, combined with the abrasive action of brushing, can erode your tooth enamel.

Smile Rx: To protect your pearly whites against the caustic compounds in soda, sip water or chew gum to activate acid-neutralizing saliva—then brush your teeth. It's also smart to follow the same routine if you have chronic heartburn, which keeps your mouth in an acidic state.


3. Increase your C intake
Vitamin C is the cement that holds all of your cells together.

Vitamin C is not only important for your skin, but also for the health of your gum tissue. People who consume less than 60 mg per day of C (8 ounces of orange juice or one orange contains more than 80 mg) are 25% more likely to have gum disease than people who take 180 mg or more.

Smile Rx: Add a daily glass of OJ to your breakfast routine, and make sure your multi meets the RDA for vitamin C.


4. Have tea
The antioxidants are good for your gums.

Black and green teas contain poly-phenols, antioxidant plant compounds that prevent plaque from adhering to your teeth and help reduce your chances of developing cavities and gum disease. Tea also has potential for reducing bad breath because it inhibits the growth of the bacteria that cause the odor. Many teas also contain fluoride (from the leaves and the water it's steeped in), which helps protect tooth enamel from decay and promotes healthy teeth. Tea does stain the teeth so make sure to brush teeth soon after or better still sip your tea through a straw. J

Smile Rx: Steep a cup every afternoon. Added bonus: a bit of caffeine for a post-lunch perk.


5. Sip with a straw
Soda junkies, listen up!

Most sodas, sports drinks, and juices contain acids, such as citric and phosphoric, that can erode dental enamel—even if they're diet or sugar-free versions. Sipping acidic drinks through a straw positioned toward the back of your mouth limits their contact with your teeth and helps preserve the enamel.

Smile Rx: Stock up on straws in your desk drawer at work and kitchen at home so you always have one handy.


6. Boost calcium consumption
The same way the mineral makes for strong bones, it's also necessary to protect your pearly whites.

People who get at least 800 mg a day are less likely to develop severe gum disease. The reason: About 99% of the calcium in your body is in your bones and teeth. Dietary calcium—available in foods like cheese, milk, and yogurt—strengthens the alveolar bone in the jaw, which helps hold your teeth in place.

Smile Rx: The recommended amount is 1,000 mg per day for women younger than 51 and 1,200 mg for those older. A calcium supplement could do the trick, but you should aim to get as much as you can from your diet. You get about 300 mg each from an 8-ounce glass of milk, a 6-ounce yogurt, or a 1.5- to 2-ounce serving of cheese.


7. Swim smarter
It sounds surprising, but dental researchers have found that excessively chlorinated pool water can erode and stain tooth enamel.

If you're a frequent swimmer, pack a toothbrush along with your towel when you take your next dip. More chlorine in a pool may equal more protection against bacteria, but overdoing it lowers the pool's pH level and makes it dangerously acidic.

Smile Rx: Brush your teeth and use a fluoride rinse immediately after spending more than an hour in the pool.


8. Have an apple a day
Yes, it helps keep the dentist away too!

Eating crunchy foods, such as, apples and celery, can act like little toothbrushes when you chew them, and they actually help scrub away stubborn stains over time. The cleansing effect on your teeth may be noticeable—if ever so slightly—especially if you're a coffee drinker who wasn't eating apples every day to begin with. "The mildly acidic nature and astringent quality of apples, combined with their rough, fiber-rich flesh, makes them the ideal food for cleansing and brightening teeth.

Smile Rx: If you start eating an apple a day as a between-meal snack and don't get the chance to brush your teeth afterward, be sure to chase it with a glass of water to rinse away the sugar, acid, and any plaque it may have removed from your enamel.


9. Smooch your partner
Kissing your mate can also help safeguard your grin.

Kissing increases saliva in your mouth, which cleans your teeth of the bacteria that can cause cavities. However, kissing also transfers bacteria from one mouth to another. So make sure you partner has a very healthy mouth.

Smile Rx: Consider this a healthy excuse to pucker up! But don't sweat it if you have no one to kiss. Sugar-free gum with xylitol will also do the trick.


10. Go for whole grains
Whole grains are like your dental insurance.

Add this to the laundry list of their benefits, which include keeping your heart healthy, preventing diabetes, and more: Whole grains keep teeth healthier longer. Among 34,000 men studied for 14 years, those who ate at least three daily whole grain servings were 23% less likely to suffer tooth-loosening gum inflammation (periodontitis) than those averaging fewer than one. Eating more whole grains helps stabilize blood sugar levels, which has been shown to reduce periodontitis in diabetics.

Smile Rx: Swap white rice, white bread and regular pasta for brown and whole wheat versions. Check labels to make sure brown rice or whole grains are listed as the first ingredient.