Most of us know to brush our teeth twice each day, floss daily and visit our dentist twice each year for an exam and cleaning. A healthy mouth, though, is created from more than daily hygiene and bi-annual exams. Healthy teeth and gums are maintained in the same way we strive for healthy bones: a balanced diet complete with minerals and nutrients that keep our bodies strong.

One of the easiest ways to boost dental health on a daily basis is to drink plenty of fluoridated water. Derived from a naturally occurring element, fluoride is known to prevent and even reverse early stages of tooth decay. In addition to strengthening tooth enamel to protect teeth from plaque damage, fluoride reverses low levels of tooth decay, preventing new cavities from forming and allowing the teeth to repair themselves. As nearly 75 percent of our nation’s drinking water is fluoridated, drinking glasses of water from your kitchen tap can be extremely beneficial to dental health.

While drinking water throughout the day is a simple habit to promote a healthy mouth, maintaining a balanced diet can sometimes seem unattainable due to our hectic schedules. Making a few, simple changes to your diet can be extremely beneficial. Follow the tips below to begin building stronger teeth and happier smiles!

  • Add milk and yogurt to your meals for a boost of calcium and protein to strengthen your teeth. An added bonus of dairy products is that they are low in sugar but high in many beneficial ingredients, including Vitamin D added to fortified milk and probiotics found in yogurts.
  • Choose lean proteins such as poultry, fish and eggs as main meal components. These phosphorus-rich foods strengthen your teeth and even help to protect and rebuild tooth enamel.
  • Vegetables and fruits are staples in any healthy diet, but they are especially important for a healthy mouth. High in water and fiber, fruits and vegetables help to clean your teeth and stimulate saliva production, further washing harmful food particles from your mouth.
  • Mixing nuts into recipes and snacks increases your protein intake, but these versatile additions to meals further promote clean teeth through stimulated saliva production.

Building and maintaining a healthy mouth may take a bit of awareness and planning, but with a little perseverance and regular exams at Progressive Dental, you will have a happy, healthy smile in no time!