6 Cavity-Fighting Foods to Include in Your Diet
Living during a pandemic comes with
surprising sacrifices. Mundane things like going to the shopping mall,
getting your hair done, and visiting the dentist have become a risky
endeavor, and most of us are trying to space out all of these activities
as much as possible. If you were forced to skip your scheduled trip to
the dentist this year or want to make sure you won’t need one any time
soon, there are several things you can do to promote long-term oral
health. Apart from the obvious brushing and flossing, you should also be
mindful of what to eat.
Firstly, avoiding certain foods that often
contribute to cavities and oral health issues is a good idea. To learn
what those are, read our previous article titled Foods and Drinks That
Can Damage Your Teeth. But it's not just about limiting yourself, as
certain delicious foods can also help you fight tooth decay. The foods
and drinks we list below will help prevent cavities, bad breath, and
tooth decay, so make sure to include plenty of those in your daily diet,
though chances are you’re already doing so, as many of these foods are
quite common.
1. Dairy
Dairy products like milk, cheese, butter,
and plain white yogurt are among the best foods to eat for long-term
oral health. Rich in calcium and phosphates, dairy products help
remineralize teeth. This is extremely important, as we lose these
important minerals while we eat, and putting them back in your teeth
essentially helps rebuild tooth enamel, which the first line of defense
against cavities.
Apart from that, cheese helps your body produce more saliva, which also
helps repair the enamel. Lastly, dairy, especially grass-fed dairy, is
rich in vitamin K2, a vitamin in which most of us are deficient that is
vital for healthy teeth. Other foods rich in vitamin K2 are eggs, liver,
natto, and beef.
2. Tea
Certain drinks can help prevent cavities
and other oral issues, too. Though wine has been suggested to help
promote oral health in some studies, there is still little evidence to
support that claim. In addition, drinking alcohol daily isn't a good
idea, and red wine specifically is also known to stain teeth, so we
cannot recommend it.
A drink that's much better for your teeth is green or black tea (but not
herbal tea). The ingredients in tea that will benefit oral health are
polyphenols, a type of antioxidant capable of killing plaque bacteria
that produce acid that degrades the tooth enamel. Do keep in mind,
however, that you should stick to unsweetened tea, as sugar can increase
the risk of cavities, as you may already know.
3. Citrus Fruit
Most acidic foods, like tomatoes, aren't good for the teeth, as acid
degrades the tooth enamel, but citrus fruit like lemons, grapefruit, and
oranges, can be enjoyed in moderation and offer some benefits for oral
health. These fruits contain a lot of vitamin C, which can reduce gum
inflammation that is capable of causing gum disease. This is because
vitamin C strengthens the blood capillaries in the mouth and make your
gums more resilient.
4. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish like salmon and tuna are known for their multitude of health
benefits, but these fish also naturally contain the perfect cocktail for
tooth health. Firstly, fatty fish is high in omega-3 fats, which are
suggested to benefit brain and cardiovascular health. However, most
people aren't aware that omega-3 fatty acids can also support gum health
and may even help reduce gum disease, an extremely common health issue.
If your gums bleed or hurt when you're flossing or brushing your teeth,
increasing your intake of omega-3s may help deal with that issue.
Apart from that, fatty fish is also rich in vitamin D, which also helps
prevent cavities, as well as vitamin K2 and A, which can remineralize
the teeth and aid in the repair of tooth enamel.
5. Leafy Greens 
Here's another reason to eat more leafy
greens, especially dark green ones like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and
arugula. Apart from containing many minerals that can help replenish the
enamel, leafy greens are also capable of balancing out the microflora
in your oral cavity.
This is because leafy greens are rich in prebiotics, which are
essentially food for the beneficial bacteria that live in your mouth. By
increasing the number of these beneficial bacteria, the number of
harmful ones that can cause tooth decay simultaneously decreases, making
your teeth cleaner and plaque-free in the short term, and more
resilient to tooth decay in the long run.
6. Cacao Nibs 
The last item on this list may be less common than the other ones, but
it has a good amount of research backing its effectiveness at reducing
the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth. Cacao nibs are essentially
crushed up cacao beans. Unlike chocolate, cacao beans don't contain any
sugar, but they are naturally rich in polyphenols, the same antioxidants
present in tea we discussed earlier.
Research from 2019 has revealed that a mouth rinse based on cocoa beans
eradicated cavity-causing bacteria called S. mutans as well as a
prescription mouthwash. Unlike the latter, however, the cacao-based
mouthwash didn't harm the beneficial bacteria in the mouth. So, munching
on some cocoa nibs as a snack or springing some on your morning oatmeal
or granola is a good idea.