Green Vegetables Good For Your Teeth and Gums

Like many other rules you might have learned in childhood, “eat your vegetables” – is a real eye-roller for every child. However, one only realizes when you grow up – those green vegetables can give you health and energy.

What else do green vegetables give you? A better smile. Yes. In addition to their ability to make you healthy, most green vegetables offer real dental benefits. We all know that – prevention is the best medicine for your smile, dental health, and overall health. 

Did you know that the food you eat every day plays a big role in your life. Moreover, the foods you select, when you eat your meal, and how often you eat them – affect your dental health. 

Everyone knows that green vegetables are a must in any healthy diet. Surprisingly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC report – only 1 in every 10 adults get enough fruit or green vegetables. And hence many of you are missing out on the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that these greens provide.

Do you know that even tooth decay at any time is preventable with regular dental visits, good dental hygiene, and a healthy diet?

Here we explain why and which green vegetables are the most must-have for your smile.

Fresh and Green Vegetables Keep Your Teeth Healthy

Fresh fruits and vegetables – are the best foods for your teeth. Primarily because of their nutritional and mouth health benefits. 

For example, crisp raw vegetables and fruits like celery, apples, and carrots – can surely help freshen your breath and clean plaque on your teeth as well. 

Note that most fruits and vegetables contain loads of antioxidant vitamins, similar to vitamin C, that will help protect your gums and prevent gum disease. Especially the antioxidants present in green vegetables avoid cell damage and help other tissues from bacterial infection. 

Leafy salad greens are loaded with folic acids, which promote a healthy mouth. Folic acid is a member of the B vitamin family and is known to support cell growth all over the body.

Try shopping for fresh fruits and green veggies from your local farmers market or grocery store for healthy teeth and gums. Fresh fruits and veggies are not only richer in vitamins and nutrients, but they are also healthy for your body. 

Do you know that every 9 out of every 10 people experience tooth decay or cavities? Hence even today, tooth decay remains the most common chronic childhood disease. People who lack access to affordable dental care and green food often have significantly higher rates of oral disease. 

 

Green Vegetables Pack Nutrients for Enamel

Scientists and researchers are in the process of studying the amazing pro-health qualities of fruits and veggies. You should remember that leafy green and dark, multi-colored vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, cabbage, kale, chard, asparagus,  and other leafy greens are packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals. All these nutrients are essential for your body to maintain and improve your oral health. 

Nutrients and vitamins in these dark leafy vegetables include beta carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. Phosphorus in your food is stored in your bones and teeth helping, your body balance and absorb calcium and magnesium.

If you eat the right green vegetables, it will give you:

Antioxidants

Antioxidants can promote the healing of your oral wounds. They may also protect against harmful free radicals.

Anthocyanins

These are powerful phytochemicals. They can keep away pathogens from colonizing your gum tissue and teeth.

Magnesium

This mineral prevents tooth cavities, strengthens your teeth, and even builds enamel. 

Calcium

Calcium, as you know is very helpful and can build tooth enamel. 

Vitamin A

Together with beta carotene, Vitamin A can protect your mucosal barriers and also against allergies. Vitamin A has a positive impact on nasal breathing and upper teeth development.

Note that Vitamin A is also a key nutrient for your gums’ health and your enamel. The enamel of your teeth has keratin, a protein that uses vitamin A during the formation process.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is helpful in protecting your gums from cell damage and infection. It may also reduce gum bleeding.

Vitamin E

The vitamin can reduce inflammation in your mouth.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K will promote blood clotting, finally reducing bleeding, especially after flossing, brushing, and dental procedures.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus can naturally protect and rebuild your tooth enamel. The mineral is a must-have for your healthy teeth. The mineral helps your body absorb and use calcium effectively. The chemical also helps strengthen your teeth by protecting and rebuilding the enamel.

Folic acid

Folic acid has numerous benefits. Folates promote whole-mouth and whole-body health. Folic acid may protect against all kinds of gum disease, especially in pregnant women. 

The acid can effectively reduce gum inflammation as well. Folate also makes your teeth and gums more strong against anaerobic bacteria and dental plaque.

Bacteria and plaque are the two culprits responsible for all the havoc like decay, bad breath, and gum disease. The folate may also help to reduce gum bleeding – one of the initial signs of gum disease.

Xylitol

Xylitol is effective in neutralizing your mouth’s pH level. It prevents harmful bacteria from sticking to your teeth’ surface. The presence of xylitol in your mouth -it will inhibit the growth of the cavity-causing bacteria in your oral cavity. Probabaly because these bacteria cannot utilize xylitol to grow.

If you use xylitol continuously, the quantity of the bacteria will keep changing. You will notice very few decay-causing bacteria surviving on the tooth surfaces.

Raw Green Vegetables: Nature’s Toothbrush

Most the green, fresh vegetables are high in fiber and packs numerous benefit:

• These greens’ fibrous texture can heal by brushing food residue off your teeth.
• High-fiber vegetables increase salivation. Salivation can significantly decrease the acidity in your mouth? In addition, it can act as a natural rinse for most stubborn food particles on your gums and teeth.
• Eating fibrous food instantly massages your gum tissues. The process will help fight cavities and further increase salivation.

It is important to know that green vegetables can not take the place of your toothbrush. But they can work as a powerful complement to your daily oral health routine.

As a result, experts recommend eating raw foods or salads especially at the end of each meal. This practice will help “brush away” the foods that came before them.

It is important to note that not all green vegetables offer these benefits. Here we take a look at some of the best bets. 

List of Best Green Vegetables for Your Teeth

Are you looking for some good greens for your grin? You should  Get the most out of your daily meal by adding these to your plate: 

Celery – Celery might not be tasty, but it is fiber in a stick, a super food.

You should remember that all the tooth brushing benefits are present in this crunchy celery. 

Spinach – The green spinach leaves are loaded with nutrients like folic acid, calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, copper, iron, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, protein, and many others. 

Kale – Kale has several essential dental health benefits quite similar to spinach and promotes oral health. But kale has the bonus of being hip and trendy. You cannot eat the raw leaves in a salad. So you should cook it. So first find some interesting, healthy recipes online.

Cabbage – High in Vitamins K and C, this all time favorite for most of you. High in fiber, cabbage has antioxidants known as glucosinolates. It can aid in disease suppression throughout the body.

Chard – Only one single cup of Swiss chard can provide you surprisingly three times the recommended daily requirement of vitamin K. So grab a packet today if you want to lower your blood pressure. It is excellent for your oral health too. 

Asparagus – These green sticks may not look attractive, but they are brimming with fiber, folate, phosphorus,  potassium, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. 

Just half a cup of cooked asparagus can give you 57 percent of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin K. Asparagus has high micronutrient value, including zinc, iron, and riboflavin.

Carrots – These orange root vegetables packed with beta carotene and are super fibrous. Hence they are so popular and form an integral part of any diet plan you might know of. 

But besides this list, there are plenty of other greens, from green tea to green apples, which can also pack an oral health punch. 

A healthier mouth, a nicer smile, and better breath will keep you away from a dentist’s visit. But you should know when to make the appointment. 

Green Vegetables and Good Oral Health

Good oral health is crucial as it enhances your ability to smile, speak,  eat, and show emotions through facial expressions. Any preventive oral health habits like regular dental care and good oral hygiene – if developed early in life, lead to a healthy person.

Good oral health is significant. Oral health has improved over the past decades, but still a sizable number of individuals go without basic dental care. Thus leading to more excellent rates of oral diseases.  

Dental decay, gum disease, oral cancer, and other oral diseases may cause significant pain and hardships for many. Access to affordable, preventive dental care may decrease disparities in oral health. Early prevention, especially in early childhood and adolescent years, is very crucial. 

In such a scenario, leafy green vegetables can promote healthy oral bacteria. Their fibrous leaves keep your teeth and gums clean, stimulating saliva production. Moreover, it enriches the saliva with minerals helping to keep your tooth enamel strong. 

Are you eating the recommended amount of fruits and green vegetables for your smile daily? If you get the proper nutrients and maintain your oral hygiene – you can maintain a beautiful and healthy smile that impresses others.