Nutrition for good oral health

Get a taste for how food affects your oral health.

When going through your daily routine, it can be easy to forget how closely related each of the body's systems work. One system affects the other—this is especially true when it comes to your oral health and overall health. The fact is, good oral health sets the stage for good overall health.

While a healthy diet and exercise are two of the foundations of an overall healthy lifestyle, making the right food choices also supports a healthy smile. Your food choices and eating habits can help prevent tooth decay and gingivitis.

The good news? Generally speaking, foods that support your overall health also support healthy teeth and gums. Foods rich in minerals, like calcium and phosphorus, are important to help form and maintain enamel, the protective hard outer layer of the tooth.

Vitamins and minerals

Choose foods high in calcium and other nutrients, like cheese, milk, yogurt, almonds and leafy greens. Protein-rich foods, like meat, poultry, fish, milk and eggs, are also great sources of phosphorus.

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables provides your body with essential vitamins, nutrients and fiber. These foods stimulate the production of saliva, which is critical in protecting your teeth from decay. Saliva helps wash away food from your teeth and neutralizes acids.

Vitamins and minerals help support a healthy mouth. Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits, peppers, sweet potatoes, broccoli, berries and kale, contributes to healthy gums and the healing of mouth tissue.

Vitamin A helps you produce healthy saliva. You can find vitamin A in fruits and veggies, like carrots, sweet potatoes and bell peppers. Protein-rich foods, like fish and egg yolks, also contain vitamin A.

Fluoridated water

The best drink for your oral health is water—especially fluoridated water. It helps keep your mouth clean and helps prevent dry mouth. Fluoride protects teeth against tooth decay. Drinking water with fluoride means you are on the path to helping prevent cavities.

Sugar and carbohydrates

The consumption of foods (and drinks) rich in sugar and carbohydrates is linked to dental decay. Carbohydrates and sugar act with dental plaque to produce acid that attacks tooth enamel. Eating carbohydrate-heavy foods throughout the day disrupts the balanced ecosystem of your mouth, putting you at risk of developing tooth decay.

Avoid eating potato chips, candy and sugar-sweetened beverages, like sports drinks, energy drinks, soda, artificial fruit juices and sugary coffees and teas.

Good oral health and good overall health go hand in hand. Making the right food choices can help you maintain a bright, healthy smile while also fueling your body with essential nutrients. Combined with brushing at least twice per day, flossing at least once per day and regular professional cleanings and exams, proper nutrition helps your teeth shine bright and stay strong.

ada.org/resources/ada-library/oral-health-topics/nutrition-and-oral-health/ hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/oral-health/ colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/nutrition-and-oral-health/nutrition-and-oral-health