The Best Foods for a Healthy Smile

A healthy smile doubles as a happy one. Smiles are so important that they can influence our psychological and physical well-being because they pull some strings regarding our confidence and overall health. A healthy smile is clean, properly aligned, allows easy and painless chewing, doesn’t smell, and is free from oral diseases. While cosmetic dentistry makes having a healthy smile relatively accessible, practicing proper oral care can go a long way in giving you a good smile.

What Are the Benefits of a Healthy Smile?

Impressive dental hygiene can improve your quality of life in many ways. Some of them are

Confidence

Having healthy and shiny teeth do a lot in boosting your confidence. You are quick to smile at people and in photos. It gives your self-esteem a push and helps you feel good about yourself.

Cuts dental cost

Maintaining excellent oral health from the get-go, which includes dental cleaning, and good oral hygiene, helps you cut dental costs that you may have incurred eventually. You can save money because you are less likely to need costly dental procedures.

Improves your appearance and makes you more approachable

When you practice good oral care,  you shouldn’t suffer from bad breath and tooth discoloration, making you appear healthy. It makes it easier for people to approach and gravitate toward you. Also, if you have a healthy smile, why won’t you flaunt it?

Enhances your general health

Your oral and general health are connected. So, adequate care for your teeth reduces the risk of developing some diseases. Lack of proper oral care could lead to dental conditions like dry mouth and periodontitis (gum disease), leading to other illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and pneumonia.

Aids blood pressure regulation

When you have great teeth, there is every possibility that smiling and laughing will come very naturally to you. When you laugh, you experience an increase in your heart rate and a decrease in your blood pressure, reducing your risk of heart diseases.

Best Foods for a Healthy Smile

For stronger, whiter, and more resilient teeth, it is best to swap out sugary and processed food for a healthy diet. Some recommended foods include

Dairy

Adding dairy to your diet is a good choice for your oral health. Dairy contains minerals such as calcium (it also contains vitamin D, which helps the body absorb it), which helps keep the teeth strong and healthy. Dairy like milk and cheese also protect the enamel, neutralize the effect of sugary food and prevent dry mouth.

Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables, especially ones with high fiber content, are effective in keeping your mouth clean. These foods are perfect for triggering saliva production, which aids in keeping the bacteria in your mouth in check. Also, due to the texture of fruits like carrots, they do well in removing residual food substances on your tooth’s surface.

Water

Liquids do well in keeping your mouth clean, but drinks like soda and juice contain sugar that could weaken the enamel. However, water does this with no side effects. It also works to keep the teeth healthy (mainly if it contains fluoride) and lowers your risks of having a dry mouth.

Unsweetened tea

The downside to drinking tea is that it gives rise to teeth stains. However, that can be easily avoided by brushing your teeth immediately after consumption. The ingredients found in tea are effective for fighting plaque and preventing swelling in gums.

Lean protein

Lean protein, including meat, fish, peas, and lentils, contain phosphorus and protein, which are highly beneficial to your oral health because they work to protect the teeth’s enamel.

Sugarless chewing gum

Chewing gum triggers the flow of saliva, which is effective for reducing acid in the mouth and removing residual food particles.

Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate has several health benefits. It contains antioxidants that inhibit the production of plaque. Dark chocolate also reduces gum swelling, which helps prevent periodontitis. Some of its components are effective in avoiding jaw pain.

How Does Your Lifestyle Contribute to a Healthy Smile?

Oral health is a subset of your overall health. Both are connected, and the care you show for one reflects in the other. Essentially, a healthy lifestyle is crucial to a healthy smile. A survey conducted in Saudi Arabia showed that individuals with a healthy lifestyle significantly had positive dental behaviors.

Eating healthy is already a step in the right direction to having a healthy smile. Some other lifestyle tips to improve your smile include

Taking your oral hygiene seriously

Brushing and flossing may appear in every dental article you’ve read because it is so important. It’s the primary and most important way to care for your teeth. You should brush at least twice daily and floss once. Including mouthwash in your oral care routine is also good; you can use it after brushing or a meal.

Avoiding tobacco

There is a long list of why you should try your hardest to avoid smoking. Some of the ways it can harm your teeth are by causing foul breath, discoloration, and even gum disease.

Regular dental visits

It is essential to make a habit of going to the dentist. During the regular checkups, your dentist may notice something that could be a threat to your smile and address it quickly. You should also get a deep cleaning every six months, thoroughly removing plaque and cleaning your gums. Visit the dentist without having a life or smile-threatening issue.

Watching your beverages

Drinks including coffee, tea, and wine can stain your teeth. They can cause surface stains that can be removed easily and internal stains. So, you should limit your intake of these drinks, and when you do drink them, make sure to rinse your mouth after.

Conclusion

The state of your oral health mirrors the condition of your general health. So, everything you eat and indulge in should be done in consideration of your health. A beautiful smile is a confident and happy smile, and if you’re not comfortable with how your smile looks, visit the dentist and take better care of your teeth.