Clean Your Teeth While You Eat!
Did you know that cleaning your teeth is easy as eating a few certain foods? That’s right, you heard correctly. Of course, sugar is the tastiest of foods, but let’s not stray away from an important lesson: What foods you are consuming can have profound effects on your overall dental health. More importantly, which actually help clean your teeth? FRUITS This food group contains some of our favorites that are natural abrasives. You can get a good tooth scrubbing from eating apples, strawberries or kiwis, all which contain vitamin C, which is considered to hold cells together. Without vitamin C keeping gum cells intact, they can become tender and vulnerable to disease. Apples are also a naturally detergent food which help clean your teeth. Wait, it gets better – pineapples are known to actually help whiten teeth as they contain an enzyme called bromelain, which acts as a natural stain remover. The enzyme also aids in the breakdown of that sticky film of bacteria on your teeth called plaque. Getting rid of plaque is essential since it contains acids that erode the enamel of your teeth. VEGETABLES Carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and broccoli all contain vitamin A which is necessary for the formation of tooth enamel. Veggies that are crunchy such as cauliflower, broccoli and cucumbers will help to clean and massage gums due to the increased amount of chewing involved. In fact, eating any crunchy vegetable helps clean your teeth. Onions and garlic contain antibacterial sulfur compounds which prevent tooth decay because they reduce the bacteria in your mouth. The preferable way to consume them is raw because cooking destroys the tooth friendly compounds. Celery produces teeth protecting saliva which neutralizes acid that causes cavities and demineralization. Broccoli has iron that forms a barrier which is acid resistant, protecting enamel while ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory agent. Further, chewing on fresh herbs such as cilantro, parsley and mint aid in the decrease of odors from bacteria buildup. It’s better to eat them raw since dried herbs have nutritional lack, but they can be used in a mouth rinse, which you can whip up yourself. And basil even helps reduce bacteria because it acts as a natural antibiotic. DAIRY Milk and Yogurt are good choices because of their low acidity content, which basically means your teeth will be worn down less. They are also low in the sugars that induce decay. Milk is a great source of calcium which is the main component to healthy teeth and bones. Cheese is rich in calcium, protein and phosphorous. These elements are cavity fighting agents that help buffer the acids in your mouth. The calcium and phosphorous in cheese assists the pH in the mouth, creates saliva, destroys the bacteria that causes cavities and disease and rebuilds tooth enamel. MEAT Chicken, Turkey, Beef and Eggs have within them phosphorous which which is one of the most vital minerals of teeth and bone. Salmon contains vitamin D and calcium. NUTS The breakdown of nuts within the mouth can create little “scrubbers” to remove plaque. Sesame seeds in particular do a good job of this as well as containing calcium. We here at Salmon Creek Family Dental, your dentist in Salmon Creek and Vancouver, WA, we recommend a balanced diet because it’s not only great for your body and well being, but most especially for your mouth. At the end of the day however, you need good dental hygiene. Make sure to brush and floss and come see us at Salmon Creek Family Dental for your regular check-ups.
The Best Natural Sweeteners For Your Teeth
If you have a sweet tooth you may try to ignore the information about sugar and how bad it is for your oral health. If you crave sweet treats, there is good news, we have put together a list of alternative foods that are better for your health. After all, eating too much sugar can cause cavities, tooth decay and even toothaches. There are a lot of sweeteners that come from nature, and they can actually help improve your overall health from your dentist in Vancouver and Salmon Creek WA, Dr. Dale Nelson. Here are the top natural sweeteners Coconut sugar is a great alternative to regular sugar. Coconut sugar has more iron in it and four times the amount of magnesium than regular sugar. Adding coconut sugar to your diet can help slow down the absorption into the bloodstream and it is a natural sweetener that is not bad for you at all. Stevia Stevia is a all natural sweetener is made from the greenleaf part of a South American plant. You can purchase Stevia in a liquid powder form or in the raw. Because it is natural it is better for your teeth than regular cane sugar. Date Sugar Date sugar is super sweet sugar that can help slow down sugar absorption in the body. Dates are naturally rich in antioxidants, iron and in minerals and dates can help you stay hydrated. The sugar will dissolve in water so it’s best to use it for baking or sprinkling. Agave Syrup Agave is a sweet syrup that is made from the Agave plant and it is a better alternative than sugar or honey. It is good for you because it is all natural and can help prevent diabetes and heart disease. Many experts in the nutrition field and diet experts suggest using agave syrup instead of honey or sugar this is because it is all natural and it won’t raise your blood sugar level as much as regular sugar well. It’s okay to crave something sweet, but sugar is not good for you. Try these alternatives next time.
Home or in Office, Which Way Works When Whitening Teeth?
Few aspects of your appearance can draw as much positive attention as a mouth full of brilliantly white teeth. Not only can a set of pearly whites enhance your overall appearance, they can also help to improve your self-esteem and confidence. However, maintaining a brilliantly white smile can have its challenges. A wide variety of foods and drinks can negatively affect the color of your teeth. While coffee and red wine lovers may already know the uphill battle they face, individuals who consume an abundance of such items as tomatoes, blueberries, cranberry juice, soda, beets, and soy sauce also have a higher risk of staining their teeth with what they eat. At Salmon Creek Family Dental, we want to help restore the brilliance to all of our patient’s smiles. As one the premiere dentists Vancouver, WA has, Dr. Nelson understands, however, that his patients have a number of options when it comes to regaining some of their teeth’s lost luster. The at-home whitening market contains an overwhelming number of options for consumers looking to improve their smiles. While at-home products can help to improve the color of your teeth, they do occasionally carry some risk, and not all products work as effectively as others. Here’s what you need to know when considering whether to whiten at home or to schedule a teeth whitening during your next appointment at Salmon Creek Family Dental. At-Home Products A number of different whitening products have hit the shelves in recent years that claim to improve the color of your teeth. Even though the majority of these products fulfill their claims, the time and discomfort required to use them may discourage some patients from attempting to improve the brightness of their smile at home. Common types of products include: Whitening rinses. Used just like a mouthwash, rinses contain whitening agents that help to improve the color of your teeth. Whitening rinses have the benefit of being easy to use, as all you need do is swirl the rinse around in your mouth after you’ve brushed and floss. However, because the whitening agent comes into contact with your teeth for such a short period of time (most rinses only require you to swirl for 90 seconds), they work gradually, and can take several weeks to make a noticeable difference. Whitening toothpaste. Whitening toothpastes contain mild abrasives or enzymes that help to remove stains from your teeth through gentle brushing. Just as with rinses, whitening toothpaste can take several weeks to make a noticeable difference, and some people can develop sensitive teeth after prolonged use of whitening toothpaste. Gel strips. Generally applied to teeth once a day for anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours, gel strips need to be worn for 10 to 20 days, depending on strength, to lighten the color of your teeth. Whitening trays. Similar to the whitening treatment used by Dr. Nelson, trays filled with a bleaching solution fit over your teeth like a mouth guard. By far the most effective product on the mark, trays can help to whiten your teeth after just a few uses. However, unlike the custom trays made for patients by Dr. Nelson, over-the-counter trays are made one size fits all, and wearing them may cause gum irritation. In-Office Treatment At Salmon Creek Family Dental, our teeth whitening procedure is a safe and inexpensive way to improve the brightness of your smile. Depending on your preference, we can lighten just your upper teeth or both your upper and lower teeth. Once you let us know that you’re interest in whitening your teeth, we will begin to create a custom teeth whitening tray you can pickup at your next appointment. Unlike over-the-counter whitening trays, we provide you with a special bleaching agent you place in the trays that will remove stains from your teeth’s enamel with only one hour of wear a day. Once your teeth reach your preferred brightness, only occasional treatments are necessary to maintain your brilliant new smile. So when deciding on how to whiten your teeth, make sure to talk with Dr. Nelson to see what the best solution might be for you.