Tooth-friendly treats

Andrea Varga-Darabos Tooth-friendly treats 18 March 2016 | 2 minute reading time

Even kids know that eating high-fibre food (fresh apples, carrots, kohlrabi, celery, etc.) strengthens and cleans teeth. Less widely known is the fact that foods high in phosphorus (e.g. tofu and seitan) also help to keep your teeth healthy.

Unfortunately, brushing your teeth carefully and regularly is not enough to keep your teeth protected – even if you use natural, chemical-free toothpaste such as Manna Fluoride-free Toothpaste with Peppermint and Sage.

It’s essential that you also clean between your teeth too – yet even the most sophisticated toothbrush can’t do that.
It’s also important that you know which foods and drinks can damage the protective enamel on your teeth.

Top 5 Culprits:

Citrusy fruit: unfortunately, citric acid doesn’t do your teeth any good, however delish and healthy those types of fruit may be.
Pickles: they are very good for your digestion and your gut flora but not for your teeth. They are extra damaging when consumed with high-sugar dressing, sauces or mayonnaise.
The same goes for coffee: regular consumption of coffee may leave your teeth tinted and damage your tooth enamel – especially if you drink it with sugar.
Sugary drinks: acid, sugar and carbonic acid don’t do your teeth any favours – together, they are highly damaging.
High-sugar food: you may not think of them this way but in this respect, even entirely natural dried fruit is not much better than more unhealthy chocolate bars and candy.

How to eat to keep your teeth healthy: don’t consume high-acid food and drink on their own – they do much less harm when combined with other food. Don’t rush to your toothbrush straight after a high-acid meal; wait 30 minutes to allow your mouth’s pH to return to normal.