Foods to Have:
Apples 1 small or ½ large
Cheese 1.5 ounces hard cheese, ⅓ cup shredded
Cocoa 1 tablespoon
Cranberries 1 cup
Peanuts 1 ounce
Black tea 1 cup
Yogurt or kefir 1 cup
Also consider: Dairy products, whole grains, berries, nuts and seeds, fresh fruit, vegetables such as celery and carrots, salmon and other fatty fish, dark chocolate, honey, licorice, the sweetener xylitol
What are dental caries?
Dental caries, cavities, or tooth decay all refer to the same thing—the destruction of tooth enamel. This happens when simple sugars remain on the teeth over time and promote the growth and multiplication of destructive mouth bacteria that erodes tooth enamel. According to the American Dental Association, the good news is tooth decay may be prevented by following these four simple rules: (1) Brush twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste, (2) floss daily, (3) eat nutritious food and limit sugary snacks, and (4) have regular professional cleanings and oral examinations.
Did you know?
Cavities are not just for kids! Aging predisposes adults to cavities because of receding gums and an increased incidence and risk for gum disease. This puts adults at risk for tooth plaque, especially for those who are over fifty and who are prone to tooth-root decay. Additionally, the dental fillings get old, too! Fillings you first had in your younger years can weaken, fracture, or leak around the edges as you age. Bacteria can take advantage of these crevices and wham—you've got tooth decay!
Apples
The World Health Organization recommends increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables as a dietary goal for both general and oral health. An apple a day may help keep the dentist's drill away. Crunching apples, rich in fiber, helps keep saliva flowing to clean the teeth, and the flavonoids in apples inhibit bacterial growth in the mouth, as shown by experimental studies in animals and intervention studies.
Cheese
Eating cheese helps improve oral health by preventing loss of minerals in teeth. Also, cheese contains casein, a type of protein that helps with calcium remineralization of enamel on the teeth, which helps counteract the acids that cause tooth decay. And it doesn't have to be a lot of cheese, either. As little as 5 grams of cheese can be effective in reducing dental caries. One of the earliest studies on cavity prevention from cheese was when scientists fed Emmentaler cheese on bread to rats and found decreased prevalence of tooth decay.
Cocoa
What do tea, coffee, and cocoa all have in common? Polyphenols! Yes, these unique plant nutrients play a role in the prevention of cavities because of their ability to fight bacteria. Cocoa polyphenols reduce the formation of acid from Streptococcus and S. sanguinis—the bad-boy bacteria that produce caustic acid that pokes holes in your teeth. Who'd have thunk it? Now to be clear, we're talking cocoa powder here, not a sugary chocolate bar. Cacao bean extract was given via their drinking water to rats that were infected with Streptococcus bacteria. Those rats that drank the cocoa extract had a significantly reduced rate of growth of glucosyltransferase, an enzyme that helps plaque adhere to tooth enamel. The end result was far fewer cavities.
Cranberries
Flavonoids are known for their antimicrobial effects and are believed to help prevent tooth decay. Cranberries, and many other berries, are rich in these compounds and organic acids. The flavonoids in cranberries and blueberries inhibit bacteria from sticking to surfaces (cranberries are often "prescribed" for urinary tract infections because they prevent E. coli bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall). A study showed that cranberries decreased the cavity-promoting bacteria found in saliva. Additionally, raw cranberries are a good source of fiber and vitamin C.
Peanuts
Peanuts are one of the least cariogenic (cavity-causing) foods you can eat! Peanuts—which belong to the legume, not nut, family—are an excellent source of manganese and niacin, and a good source of copper, fiber, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, thiamine, vitamin E, and zinc. Peanuts may have an edge over peanut butter. Although both contain the same fiber, scientists think eating foods that require more chewing is what decreases plaque buildup: Crunching on peanuts stimulates and improves the flow of plaque-busting saliva. Away from the mouth, eating peanuts has also been associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, gallbladder and colorectal cancer, and obesity.
Black Tea
Drink tea without adding sweeteners, as sugars are known to increase risk of dental caries. If you must, use nonsugar sweeteners, such as stevia, or add traditional sweeteners sparingly. Black, oolong, and green tea drinkers may be protecting their teeth by drinking tea on a regular basis. Flavonols, such as epigallocatechin, are abundant in tea and have been shown to diminish the growth of harmful bacteria. Additionally, tea leaves contain fluoride, a mineral that supports oral health by helping strengthen the mineral composition of teeth. University of Illinois at Chicago researchers found natural chemicals in black tea that inhibit the growth of glucosyltransferase.
Make your tea with tap water!
Because fluoride is added to many water supplies, cooking with it or using it in your tea of coffee can be helpful to prevent cavities. If you don't have fluoride in your drinking water, you can also find bottled water with added fluoride or you can simply brush with toothpaste containing fluoride.
Yogurt or Kefir
Plain kefir or yogurt, combined with naturally sweet fresh fruit loaded with fiber, acts like a natural toothbrush so sugars don't stick. The trick is to add the fruit yourself, for improved texture and reduced sugar. Yogurt contains calcium and phosphorus, which are two minerals needed to rem-ineralize teeth. Often, these two minerals are removed by the acids in the mouth. A study of 2,058 three-year-olds showed that consuming fermented dairy products was associated with having fewer cavities. Also, adults who drank yogurt, fermented milk, and fermented dairy beverages had pH levels that were less acidic and below the critical level for enamel and corrosion to occur.