Nutrition is an extremely important

part of good dental hygiene. Some

foods are particularly helpful and

others can cause problems.

MILK & CHEESE:Dairy products contain calcium that strengthens teeth and neutralizes acid, protecting teeth from cavities.

Strawberries have plenty of vitamin C, which is great for the gums, and they have malic acid, which acts as a natural enamel whitener.

Apples, carrots, and celery have high water content, which washes away food. Chewing them scrapes away additional food and plaque.

Water washes away food particles and generates saliva, which acts as the mouth’s best defense against cavities.

CRUNCHY FRUITS & VEGETABLES:

Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants that work against plaque. While chewing gum is often harmful to teeth, sugarless gum can help clean teeth.

Hard candies have coloring agents that stain teeth-if they change the tongue’s color, they probably affect teeth also. Chewy candies are full of sugar and get stuck between teeth, creating places for cavities to form.

DARK CHOCOLATE & SUGARLESS GUM:

HARD & CHEWY CANDIES:

Besides staining teeth, soda and other sugary drinks are often acidic and can soften tooth enamel.

Crunching ice cubes after finishing a drink could chip or crack a tooth.

WATER:

STRAWBERRIES:

SODA & SUGARYBEVERAGES:

ICE CUBES: