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100 Main St. Cohoes, NY 12047

Healthy Teeth-Friendly Snacks

We all know good nutrition is important to a healthy body, but did you know that includes our teeth? Yes, our teeth do more with food than just chew it! Our teeth also require nutritious food to stay healthy and grow — just like the rest of our bones — so eating these foods will help keep your smile healthy and bright. And they’re delicious to boot! 

Dr. Frederick Marra of Capital Region Complete Dental Care & Impants, a respected dental provider of Cohoes, NY, would like to give you some tips about which foods will help your teeth stay strong and healthy. 

Cheese

Cheese, like most dairy products, is rich in calcium, which helps your bones and teeth grow healthy and strong. Since they can’t produce it on their own, our bodies need calcium in foods and drinks and vitamins to help rebuild our tooth enamel and strengthen our bones. Our bodies absorb calcium quickly so snacking on cheese is a good way to make sure you’re getting enough calcium in your diet.

Apples

Eating too many carbohydrates, starches, and sugary foods can damage your tooth enamel due to acids produced when bacteria in our mouths digests them. To satisfy your sweet tooth instead, choose an apple. Apples, which are rich in vitamin C,  can reduce inflammation, which can be especially helpful to those individuals who suffer from inflamed gums from gum disease.. Other vitamin C rich foods include broccoli, oranges, and green peppers.

Fish

Even if you eat plenty of calcium-rich foods every day, your body can’t absorb it without Vitamin D. Eating foods rich in vitamin D, such as tuna and salmon, enables your body to absorb calcium to help build those strong teeth and bones. The sun is another excellent source of vitamin D and it’s free! Getting plenty of fresh air and sun on your body does wonders for skin, hair, nails, teeth, and more!

Oatmeal

Whole grains such as those found in some oatmeals can not only improve heart health but they’re also beneficial for healthy teeth too. Unfortunately, most pre-packaged artificially-flavored oatmeals are full of added sugars and sweeteners. Eating artificially sweetened and flavored oatmeals feeds the bacteria in your mouth that can also erode your tooth enamel. To keep the amount of sugar in your oatmeal down, try making your own plain oats and adding in some berries and/or cinnamon for sweetness.  

Snacking on these tasty, healthy foods can not only improve your dental health, but they’re great for your whole body as well. However, merely eating right won’t keep your teeth healthy. Make sure you’re also performing regular dental hygiene at home and having regular dental exams with Dr. Frederick Marra at Capital Region Complete Dental Care & Implants in Cohoes NY or your local area dentist! Schedule an appointment online or call (518) 650-1930 today!