How can you feel better, find extra energy, keep your body healthy, and provide your teeth with extra strength and durability? Though it sounds like this would be difficult, the answer is quite simple — good nutrition. To help maintain your teeth and overall health, you can make an effort to eat better. Our dentist, Dr. Jamie Choi, and all our specialists at Jamie P. Choi, DDS want you to stay healthy, so we compiled this article to provide you with some tips for healthy eating.
When seeking overall health, it is important to understand the five food groups you should be eating from. The first two most important groups are grains and vegetables. The closer these are to their natural state, the better they are for you; for instance, grains give you more energy before they are refined and vegetables have more vitamins before they are boiled or cooked. Fruits and protein-based foods are next on the list. Fruits provide your brain with power and your body with quick bursts of energy, while proteins build your muscles. Dairy is the fifth most important food group. It strengthens your bones and teeth, and provides you with extra protein.
If you are specifically looking for foods that will boost your oral health, remember that some foods boost your dental health while others degrade your teeth:
Dental Boosters — You can find tooth strength in foods that are high in calcium, vitamins, and that are crunchy and high in water. To gain tooth strength, try eating leafy greens, apples, carrots, celery, yogurt, fish, almonds, and cheese.
Dental Degraders — These foods are experts at sticking to your teeth and promoting bacterial invasion. Alcohol, candy (especially hard candy), soda, ice, cigarettes, potato chips, tea, coffee, and many processed and sugary foods are included in this category. You don’t need to give any of these up. We recommend limiting your consumption, though. Rinse your mouth or brush your teeth after you eat any of these to keep plaque from sticking and building up.
You can contact Jamie P. Choi, DDS in San Jose, California, by calling 408-973-8500. We’ll be happy to schedule an appointment. Until then, keep smiling bright and eating right.