Everyone would like to have stronger teeth. How to achieve this? Of course, it is a comprehensive approach, which includes both a healthy diet, getting rid of bad habits, timely oral hygiene and visits to the dentist.
Strength of Tooth Enamel
The main element that determines the health of our teeth is calcium. It is the main building material of tooth enamel, dentin, and also the bone skeleton. That’s why dental problems often accompany diseases of the bones and joints.
It is important that calcium is supplied to the body in sufficient amounts, but it is just as important that it is fully absorbed and once in the teeth and bones, it is not lost. Obviously, even an instant implant will not replace a healthy tooth, which is why it is so important to know the means to prevent tooth decay.
Harmful Beverages
For example, did you know that drinking ordinary and seemingly harmless carbonated drinks contributes to calcium loss? The fact is that these drinks contain carbon dioxide, which in our body turns into carbonic acid. To neutralize it, the body is forced to use up its stores of calcium, the main depot of which are the bones and teeth.
Thus, the inordinate consumption of carbonated beverages, to which we are prone in the hot summer months, contributes to the destruction of teeth, which can result in dental surgery. However, this is not the only and not the main factor in the loss of calcium by the body.
Strong Teeth and Endocrine System
First of all, the balance of this element is affected by hormones that are produced by the endocrine system. That’s why many dental problems, in particular enamel erosion, turn out to be the consequence of thyroid disease. In addition, a major role in the preservation of calcium is played by estrogens, the female hormones, a decline in which leads to a weakening of tooth enamel and tooth decay, which leads us to dental clinics.
Not only does a lack of calcium lead to enamel deterioration, but it also leads to loose bone, which can be an obstacle to dental implants. Fortunately, modern dental implants can be installed even in loose tissue.
General Health and Its Impact on Teeth
The state of the nervous system is of no small importance. The fact that stress has a negative impact on the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract is known to almost everyone. But not everyone knows that nervous stress ruins teeth! In response to each stressful experience, the adrenal glands produce specific hormones – corticosteroids, which contribute to a rapid loss of calcium in the body. As a result, our joints, skeleton and teeth suffer.
Fluoride
And even fluoride, which we used to think of as the “best friend” of our teeth, turns out to be not so useful at all. It is useful, but only in moderation. This trace element binds calcium, which has a positive effect on the surface of the tooth enamel, but within the body leads to a loss of calcium, because the bound calcium is rapidly eliminated from the body. Over time, the teeth begin to suffer from this, the first sign of which is the so-called fluorosis – the appearance of chalky streaks, dark spots, and ripples on the teeth. An obvious sign of thinning enamel is the increased sensitivity of the teeth to hot, cold, sour, sweet, called hyperesthesia. One of the reasons for this could be excess fluoride entering the body. In particular, water in some cities in the United States contains elevated amounts of fluoride, so dentistry insists that you should be more careful about using fluoride pastes. This is especially true for children.
Leave Things That Harm You
In addition, alcoholic drinks, coffee and cigarettes contribute to the loss of calcium in the body. As recent scientific research has shown, sugar also has a negative effect on calcium levels, since its digestion produces salts of this element, which are eliminated from the body. In addition, carbohydrates, and therefore primarily sugar, serve as a favorable environment for feeding oral pathogens that cause tooth decay. So sugar is twice as bad for your teeth.
More Ideas to Keep Calcium in Your Teeth
And finally, the loss of calcium is promoted by foods that are saturated with sodium and contain large amounts of animal protein. We should also note that diuretics and laxatives also contribute to calcium loss. Why is this so important? At least because diuretics are contained in most weight loss products. The loss of fluid by the body leads to weight loss, but along with this there can also be tooth decay, and as a consequence dental surgery, that is the destruction or extraction of teeth.
What to Eat to Make Your Teeth Stronger
Calcium absorption also depends on a number of factors, the main one being sufficient vitamin D3, which is produced in our skin by sunlight. Unfortunately, Moscow’s climate can hardly be called sunny, so in order to prevent dental diseases, dentists recommend taking this vitamin in ready-made form or in the form of fish oil. A good source of vitamin D3 can serve, for example, cod liver, as well as the usual fatty herring – this fish is a record-holder for its content of vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for the cardiovascular system.
What foods are good for your teeth and gums?
To keep your teeth strong and healthy, eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals:
- Nuts (walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, cashews) are ideal sources of amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and beneficial mineral elements. They have antibacterial and antiseptic properties, strengthen teeth and gums and relieve toothache.
- Hard fruits and vegetables such as celery, apples and carrots stimulate saliva production and are a kind of cleanser and disinfectant. You could say that celery, apples and carrots are a teeth scrubber. You’re not just eating, you’re also cleaning your teeth and gums.
- Dairy products are an ideal source of calcium, a mineral essential for strong tooth enamel. Calcium is also plentiful in vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, dill and leeks.
- Parsley and cardamom are good disinfectants and anti-inflammatories.
- Strawberries, kiwi and citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, which has beneficial effects on the gums and teeth.
- Onions have strong antibacterial properties and contain compounds that kill bacteria and reduce inflammation.
- Green tea is an effective oral hygiene remedy. It contains catechins, organic substances that are strong antioxidants. They help reduce inflammation and have antibacterial properties. That’s why people who drink green tea regularly are less likely to suffer from gum inflammation.
If you follow these simple rules and see your dentist regularly, your teeth will stay strong and healthy for years to come.