Nutrition can play a significant role in our dental health. Not only is it important to be mindful of the types of foods that cause or aggravate tooth decay but also to consume those foods that provide the nutrients needed for strong, healthy teeth and gums. When it comes to a dazzling smile, your worst enemy is acid – either directly contained in your food or produced by bacteria that thrive on sugar and convert it to acid. Our teeth and our mouths are living, changing environments so we need to treat them holistically, both externally (with brushing and flossing etc) and internally (with nutrition). Your mouth’s best friends are foods that neutralise acids whilst providing minerals and vitamins to repair teeth – and this is much more than just calcium. For calcium to be deposited where it is needed, it requires fat-soluble vitamins K, D and A. Phosphorous, omega 3 fats, B vitamins, vitamin C and zinc are also involved in oral maintenance so eating a good range of foods is vital.
Foods high in phytic acid have been implicated in dental decay so choose those with lower amounts or soak, sprout, ferment and cook high phytic acid foods to reduce the levels.
Top foods to include:
Foods rich in vitamins K, A, D and E include hard cheeses, egg yolks (from pastured ducks and chickens), grass-fed cow’s butter/ghee, grass-fed animal organ meats (liver, kidney etc), raw grass-fed cow and goat’s milk, yoghurt, kefir, natto and lacto-fermented vegetables. Plenty of green leafy vegetables, oily fish, fish eggs, bone broth and coconut oil should also be included.
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