Did you know? May 21st is “Eat More Fruits & Vegetables Day”. What you eat contributes not only to your overall health, but your oral health as well! In addition to being essential parts of our daily diet, fruits and vegetables provide many of the minerals that help maintain a healthy dental structure and eliminate bacterial plaque. Alongside good dental hygiene and regular dental checkups, a healthy diet can help prevent tooth decay.
Luckily, the summer months are full of fresh seasonal produce options that are healthy, delicious, and great for your smile! Some of the best foods for healthy teeth are fresh fruits and veggies because of their nutritional and mouth health benefits. For example, crisp fruits and raw vegetables, like apples, carrots and celery, help clean the plaque from teeth and naturally freshen your breath. Many fruits and vegetables contain high levels of antioxidants, like vitamin C, that can help protect gums and other tissues from cell damage and bacterial infection. Leafy greens have lots of folic acid, a B vitamin, which promotes a healthy mouth and supports cell growth throughout the entire body.
For healthy teeth and gums this summer, look for these fruits and veggies in your local grocery store or farmers markets like the New Braunfels Farmers Market, and read on for some tasty recipes to use them in!
Seasonal Produce for Summer:
Apples:
An “apple a day” is good advice for your teeth too. It’s not a substitute for brushing and flossing, but the fibrous texture of apples can help clean your teeth and stimulate your gums, further reducing cavity-causing bacteria and increasing saliva flow. More saliva is good - it decreases citric and malic acidity in your mouth and washes away particles of food that can lead to decay.
Raw vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, and celery:
Great for stimulating gums and increasing saliva production. Strong, healthy gums are important to maintaining healthy teeth. And like apples and oranges, chewing raw carrots, celery and other fibrous and hard vegetables stimulates the gums and helps to generate mouth cleansing saliva. Carrots and celery are also good sources of beta carotene, which your body needs to create vitamin A -- a nutrient essential for building strong teeth.
Leafy green and dark, multi-colored vegetables:
Lettuce, kale, spinach, asparagus, cabbage, chard and other greens are packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals necessary to maintain and improve oral health. Nutrients found in these dark green foods include vitamin A, vitamin C, beta carotene, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. Phosphorus is stored in your teeth and bones to help your body balance and absorb calcium and magnesium.
Summer berries including strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries:
Summer berries are readily available and great for adding to salads and healthy desserts. Blueberries, raspberries and other plant foods rich in anthocyanins may prevent the attachment and colonization of pathogens on host tissues (including teeth).
Recipes to Utlize Your Summer Produce:
With citrus, blueberries, strawberries, and just a touch of brown sugar, this fruit salad uses fresh summer fruits for a tasty treat.
Crunchy cucumbers, juicy tomatoes and fresh herbs combine to create a delicious salad that’s perfect for hot days.
This take on a spicy pomodoro features garlicky kale and chickpeas, finished with a shower of fresh herbs and salty pecorino cheese.
Ready for your summer checkup? Give us a call or request an appointment to schedule your next visit today!
