Best Foods for Your Teeth

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Video Transcript

Young Male Voice
So which foods are healthiest for your mouth?

Young Female Voice
Apples, right?

Brenda Paulen, DMD Proud Smiles, Atlanta, GA
Foods that are great for the teeth are those that provide the nutrients that are important for growth and development.

Young Male Voice
You know kiwi is loaded with vitamin C which helps with bone and tissue health. When you don't get enough C, it's no secret to your dentist that mouth problems can follow.

Brenda Paulen, DMD con't
So citrus fruits, tomatoes, lemons, oranges, provide great vitamin C and lots of other nutrients, but if used too often such as lemon-sucking or orange-sucking, and have a prolonged exposure to the teeth then they can start to be harmful.

Young Female Voice
Say cheese! As in low-fat cheese it's high in calcium and phosphorus. Both of which are good for bones and restoring tooth enamel.

Young Male Voice
Speaking of tooth enamel, foods high in vitamin A, like carrots, sweet potato and broccoli also help teeth stay strong and hard.

Young Female Voice
Impressive! Here's one you might not have thought of Onion. Onion breath jokes aside onions can kill certain types of mouth bacteria. Experts say to get the maximum bacteria killing effect, it's best to eat them raw… which can leave behind a bit of bite but your bite could be better for it.

Young Male Voice
I've got one…celery. All that crunching produces saliva.

Young Female Voice
So it makes you drool?

Young Male Voice
As if but it does massage your gums and helps clean your teeth.

Young Female Voice
Spot of tea? Green tea is loaded with antioxidants that fight plaque.

Young Male Voice
What about regular old water? Water washes away food particles and keeps your mouth and gums hydrated.

Young Female Voice
Duh!