The Best Foods to Eat for Healthy Teeth and Gums

One of the major benefits of Invisalign is the lack of restrictions in terms of what you eat, compared with metal braces that come with a whole host of foods that need to be avoided whilst wearing them. While it’s still important to remember to take your aligners out whilst eating or drinking anything other than water and to brush and floss before putting them back in, Invisalign gives you the freedom and flexibility to eat whatever you want once they’re removed. Mealtimes don’t have to involve awkwardly avoiding anything hard, chewy, or crunchy!

However, it’s still important to remember that certain foods are more beneficial than others in terms of maintaining good dental health, and many foods contain vitamins and minerals that are essential for helping to keep your teeth and gums strong and healthy.

 

Apples

Although one of the most common foods to avoid biting into whilst wearing metal braces, apples are actually a great food to eat to help reduce plaque buildup, due to their high water content and fibrous texture. The act of biting into an apple also stimulates saliva production, which in turn helps to remove bacteria and clean your mouth of food particles. Apples are absolutely fine to eat once you’ve removed your Invisalign aligners, but, due to their high sugar content, should not be eaten in excess.

 

Leafy greens

Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and chard all contain high levels of fiber, which helps to clean your mouth from plaque, bacteria, and food particles. Additionally, they’re a great source of calcium, which helps to strengthen your teeth, gums, and enamel, and also contain vitamin C, which can help to reduce inflammation and prevent gum disease.

 

Milk, cheese, & plain yogurt

Milk is one of the best sources of not only calcium but also phosphorus, which helps with the body’s absorption of calcium. Studies have even shown that drinking milk can help to neutralize acidity in your mouth and protect it against acid erosion – next time you eat acidic food, try reaching for a glass of milk afterward. Hard cheeses have the added benefit of stimulating saliva production that helps to rinse out your mouth, so are great to eat at the end of a meal. Like milk and cheese, yogurt is high in calcium and equally as effective for maintaining strong teeth, gums, and enamel. The good bacteria found in plain, sugar-free yogurt can also help to prevent cavities.

 

Nuts

Nuts, especially Brazil nuts, cashews and almonds, are an amazing source of phosphorus, calcium and fiber, giving them a powerhouse of benefits for your dental health. Almonds, in particular, are very high in calcium, making them a great thing to snack on throughout the day.

Crunchy vegetables like carrots, celery, and cucumber are also fantastic for scrubbing away at plaque and cleaning your mouth.

Above all, drink plenty of water!