Promoting Oral Health: 4 Fruits That Are Actually Good For Your Teeth

As a busy parent, you may be trying to figure out how to maintain proper oral health in your family. It can be easy to grab a bag of extremely greasy potato chips out of the snack machine at work, or send money with your kids to school to get a candy bar. However, it's simply not good for your oral health. So, to help ensure oral hygiene is a top priority and to hopefully avoid any major cosmetic dentistry procedures (like dental implants) in the future, here are four fruits to make sure that you have handy at all times to snack on at home, take to work for a snack, or to pack in your kids' school lunch:

1. Apples

Apples act as a gentle scrubbing agent on your gums, teeth and tongue, which helps to keep bacteria out of the mouth, decreases plaque build-up and rub away tooth stains. Apples are also able to whiten the teeth, while also eliminating bad breath. In addition, apples help to stimulate saliva production, which also works to reduce the bad bacteria in the mouth. It also helps to avoid chronic dry mouth, which is known to contribute to tooth decay.

2. Pears

Pears are another good fruit to have on hand. A study from 2004 showed that pears have the ability to create a plaque pH in the mouth that serves as a protective barrier against decay. Pears were able to increase the pH levels of dental plaque, which helps to decrease the overall risk of cavities. Further, this effect was more pronounced with pears than any other fruit, including apples, pineapples, mandarins and bananas.

3. Bananas

This particular fruit is packed full of various nutrients and minerals, including fiber and magnesium. According to Oral-B, fiber can assist the mouth in producing saliva, which helps to naturally protect the teeth and gums from tooth decay. In addition, the magnesium from bananas help to maintain adequate development of tooth enamel. This can help ward off infections in the mouth, including periodontal disease, which magnesium deficiency has been linked to.

4. Strawberries

Strawberries are probably one of the primary fruits that you will want to consume. This incredibly tasty fruit works in so many different ways for your oral health. Strawberries can help remove stains and plaque, act as a barrier against gum infections and serve as an all-natural tooth whitening agent. If you aren't keen on eating strawberries, you can crush them, mix them with baking soda, add a bit of hydrogen peroxide, and use as a toothpaste.

If you need more help protecting your family's teeth, schedule an appointment with a local dentist. He or she can help determine areas of weakness in terms of your oral health and educate you on tactics that will promote better oral hygiene. If the damage has already occurred to your teeth, your dentist can help educate you on smile recovery options, such as dental veneers and dental implants.