Many people underestimate the importance of proper oral hygiene. Your oral hygiene has a direct correlation to your overall health. Your mouth has lots of bacteria that, while mostly harmless, can become toxic when oral health is neglected. Being that the mouth leads to the digestive and respiratory tracts, those bacteria can create disease.
Your body’s immune system, in conjunction with daily brushing and flossing, typically is enough to defend your body from an overproduction of bacteria and disease. By not taking care of your mouth, infections like periodontitis can occur, leading to more serious health conditions including pneumonia, cardiovascular disease, and premature birth in pregnant women.
Saliva, which is created to digest and wash down foods, helps neutralize the acids created by oral bacteria. Making sure your mouth produces enough saliva can be done based on what you eat. Making healthy smoothies, for instance, is a great way to ensure you have proper saliva production, maintain healthy gums, and remineralizing your teeth.
Smoothies for oral health
If you want to maintain healthy gum tissue, drinking a smoothie with vitamin C is a great idea. Smoothies with high vitamin C levels will boost the immune system and combat bacteria that cause periodontitis. Mixing a kiwi, banana, frozen berries, an orange, and greek yogurt is a delicious way to maintain healthy gums.
For stronger teeth, you want to make a smoothie with manganese and vitamin C. Manganese is great for building strong bones and remineralizing tooth enamel. Mixing pineapple, honey, a peach, frozen mango, a banana, and orange gives you enough manganese for healthy teeth. With the high acidity levels in pineapple, be sure to brush shortly after drinking this smoothie.
Practicing proper oral hygiene
Although there is a common saying, “An apple a day keeps the cavities away,” apples are acidic, which can damage tooth enamel. The same applies to lemons and other citric fruits due to their high acidic levels. It is also important to remember when making healthy smoothies for your teeth that you use a straw to decrease your chances of staining. It is also a good idea to pack a spare toothbrush and toothpaste when drinking smoothies on the go so you can brush afterward.
If you don’t have an opportunity to brush your teeth, immediately rinse your mouth with water. Otherwise, the excess sugar from the smoothies remains in your mouth and can cause tooth decay. Be sure to brush and floss at least twice a day, and be sure to drink water after eating to help flush excess food particles from the teeth, which can cause further bacteria buildup.
If you live in or plan to visit the Pleasant View, Utah area and have any oral health concerns, Mountain View Dental is a great office to assist you. They offer oral advice and provide dental health services in a comfortable environment. Schedule your appointment today.