How Your Teeth Benefit From You Eating Enough Fiber

There are more diets available on the internet than there are days in a month, and new ones are being created as we speak! We all strive to find our own healthy mediums and eat the foods that make us feel the best inside and out. The most effective of these diets, believe it or not, follow the same basic concept: less prepackage goods and more fresh foods. We couldn't agree more!

An Apple A Day

The American Dental Association has found that foods rich in fiber help to keep a healthy mouth. Everyone has heard the saying 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away.' Well, we're not sure about all doctors, but chowing down on a high fiber apple is a good way to keep your dentist visits down to two a year. And it's not just apples! Pears, bananas, turnips, peas, Brussel sprouts, corn, cauliflower, carrots, oranges, and raspberries are filled with it. How does fiber promote oral hygiene? Easy. Our bodies have a variety of different reactions to the plethora of things we put inside us – your mouth is the same. When we eat something with high amounts of fiber in it, our mouths will increase salivation.

Spit is the first line of defense when it comes to fighting off corrosive acids that damage our teeth. It contains important minerals like calcium and phosphate that keep teeth strong. When the saliva gets flowing, it gets to work dissolving left over food, restoring these important minerals to your teeth, and keeping your gums clean and tight. Refined sugar does the opposite – your salivation will decrease and become less effective in its cleaning duties about twenty minutes after you consume a high sugar snack. So, increase your fiber and show us the difference in your smile on your next visit to our office.