4 Weird Foods Great For Your Teeth

Dental health is comprised more of daily brushing and flossing. It also depends heavily on what kind of food and beverages you consume. You may be familiar with some of the more common foods and drinks good for your teeth, but you may grow tired of consuming them on a regular basis. Fortunately, the list of foods healthy for your teeth does not end at what dentists frequently recommend. Though you might be surprised, these weird foods below are actually beneficial to your teeth!

Sesame Seeds

Sesame seeds are a diverse species in the culinary world, as they can enhance flavor, accent a dish, or serve as the base of an oil. As it turns out, they offer benefits to your dental health. Sesame seeds contain Omega-3, a fatty acid known to naturally fight gum disease. Gum disease begins with inflammation, and Omega-3 has been shown through research to reduce inflammation levels in your body. If you are looking for a tasty way to improve your dental health, throw some sesame seeds into your next meal.

Sugar Free Gum

At a first glance, you might assume sugar-free gum one of the worst things you could put in your mouth. Sticky, chewy, and full of sweeteners, this food has to be detrimental to your dental health, right? Wrong. Gum stimulates saliva production, which helps periodically rinse and clean the teeth. More importantly, sugar-free gum (not regular gum) contains xylitol, a chemical that stunts the growth of bacteria responsible for plaque buildup. You may recognize xylitol already, as it present in one of the more popular sugar-free gums, Trident.

Steak

Steak is a delicious dinner dish enjoyed by many across Texas. Here is yet another reason to eat steak: it benefits your dental health! The American Dental Association endorses red meat as a healthy option to improve your teeth. Steak is rich with phosphorus, a mineral responsible for building teeth enamel. This, in turn, slows the buildup of plaque and therefore tooth decay and other dental diseases.

Dark Chocolate

Last but certainly not least, dark chocolate makes it on this list of weird foods. It might be surprising that a “sweet” is good for your teeth, but then again, dark chocolate has been linked to various other health benefits. In the dental world, dark chocolate’s important ingredients are the tannis, polyphenol, and flavonoid antioxidants. Tannis inhibits bacteria from sticking to your teeth, while polyphenols neutralize that bacteria that cause bad breath and gum infection. Finally, flavonoids fight tooth infection. As you can see, dark chocolate is packed with dental benefits, so go treat yourself!

 

Consider these weird foods if you are looking for a way to mix up your diet while still keeping your dental health in mind. To discover more ways to take care of your mouth, contact Greenspoint Dental today.