Healthy Choice of the Week: YOGURT

Healthy Choice of the Week: YOGURT

A major cause of bad breath, plaque, and gum disease is a buildup of bacteria. Research shows that the good bacteria in yogurt may help fight the bad ones in your mouth!

In fact according to one study, those who eat yogurt 4 or more times a week tend to get fewer cavities. So try to add some plain, sugar free yogurt to your day - if you must have it sweetened, try stirring in some honey which also contains compounds that prevent bacteria!

Healthy Choice of the Week: GREEN TEA!

Healthy Choice of the Week: GREEN TEA!

Did you know, this drink (rich in antioxidants) contains compounds that appear to control inflammation and fight bacterial infection?


Research suggests that drinking Green Tea can aid in cavity prevention, gum health, prevent tooth loss, inhibit cancer growth, and give you better breath!


To get the maximum health and flavor benefits - make sure your green tea is brewed properly. Bringing filtered water to a boil, pour over tea leaves or a teabag and let it steep, covered, for 2-5 minutes (the longer the tea is steeped for, the higher antioxidant content).

Healthy Choice of the Week: SUGARLESS GUM!

Healthy Choice of the Week: SUGARLESS GUM!

Image Source: Google/Trident

Fight cavities, chew sugarless gum! That's right, most dentists now agree that chewing sugarless gum regularly can help fight cavities!

Chewing gum increases an individual’s saliva. Saliva works as a natural buffering agent which washes your teeth and neutralizes some of the acid produced by bacteria. However make sure that the gum you are chewing is sugarless, because if it is not, then the saliva will just spread sugar across your teeth, which in return will cause cavities.

Healthy Choice of the Week: SPINACH!

Healthy Choice of the Week: SPINACH!

Do you want to know a quick natural way to reduce tooth pain? The answer is simple, all you have to do is eat Spinach! The oxalic acid found in spinach is the same tropical tooth sensitivity treatment you receive from your dentist. 

The calcium binding properties of oxalate acid that is found in spinach actually cause them to precipitate as crystals on the surfaces of your teeth.

Try substituting your salad lettuce with spinach! Let us know how you fit spinach into your diet on our Facebook page.

Healthy Choice of the Week: PEARS!

Healthy Choice of the Week: PEARS!

Fresh fruit is a great option for healthier teeth since, like veggies, its fibrous nature stimulates saliva production. Pears in particular have been found to have a larger acid neutralizing effect on tooth surface than other kinds of fresh fruit, including mandarins, pineapples, and bananas.

Just be sure to skip the dried fruit when it comes to teeth- their sticky and sugary nature make them tooth enamel killers.

Good news! Michigan's season for pears is August-October, go ahead and stock up!

Healthy Choice of the Week: CUCUMBER!

Healthy Choice of the Week: CUCUMBER!

Treat toothaches and your gums with cucumber! Did you know periodontal disease can be effectively treated with cucumber juice? The consumption of raw cucumber can increase saliva and serves to neautralize the acid and base in the oral cavity.

Cucumbers also contain a photochemical that fights the bacteria that causes bad breath. Try taking a slice of cucumber and holding it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds - 1 minute. Remove or chew it up for a healthy snack!

Healthy Choice of the Week: CARROTS!

Healthy Choice of the Week: CARROTS!

 

Did you know Carrots contain Vitamin A, which is necessary for healthy tooth enamel.

Not to mention that eating raw carrots helps to stimulate your mouth's natural cleanser - your saliva. To keep your mouth feeling and looking its best - try this Carrot-Pineapple Ginger Salad from the AACD - containing several of our past healthy choices! (Pineapple and Ginger)

Carrot-Pineapple Ginger Salad
Ingredients:

• 2 - 3 large carrots, organic preferred
• 1 fresh pineapple peeled and cored (or 1, 14-ounce can crushed pineapple, organic preferred)
• ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated 

Directions:

1. Wash, peel and grate carrots to measure 2 cups.
2. Cut the pineapple in half and cut one half into chunks. Place the chunks in a blender and blend only until slightly smooth and still chunky.
3. Place the remaining uncut half of the pineapple in a glass mixing bowl. Using a sharp knife and a fork, slice the pineapple; continue to cut the pineapple into approximately 1/4” in size. This will ensure all the juice from the pineapple will be in the bowl to flavor the carrots.
4. In your mixing bowl with the pineapple tidbits, combine the grated carrots, blenderized pineapple, and grated ginger. Stir gently to mix flavors. Refrigerate in a glass container to chill, about an hour.

Serving Size: 6

Let us know how you've incorporated carrots into your meals this week on our Facebook page!

Healthy Choice of the Week: PINEAPPLES!

Healthy Choice of the Week: PINEAPPLES!

Did you know pineapples can help whiten teeth?

Research shows that the enzyme, bromelain, found in pineapples acts as a natural stain remover and also helps in breaking up plaque found on teeth. 

Bromelain in pineapples also helps indigestion and heartburn, not to mention boosting your overall immune system; so when adding some pineapples to your diet, you’re not only whitening your teeth but you're also doing your body good!

How are you planning on adding pineapples into your diet? In a smoothie? On the grill? Share with us on our Facebook page!

Healthy Choice of the Week: SWEET POTATOES!

Healthy Choice of the Week: SWEET POTATOES!

Already a healthy alternative to regular potatoes, sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin A! Vitamin A is helps strengthen tooth enamel.

Tooth enamel contains keratin and requires vitamin A for its formation. What better way to get vitamin A than a tasty sweet potato?

So next time you’re looking for the perfect side dish for your dinner, choose a baked sweet potato or season up some sweet potato fries! They taste great and help your teeth as well! Let us know how you like your sweet potatoes on our Facebook page!

Healthy Choice of the Week: SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Healthy Choice of the Week: SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Mushrooms have been a culinary staple for years! But did you know they also serve a positive impact on your oral health?

Due to the lentinan content in shiitake mushrooms, bacteria and plaque have a hard time adhering to teeth. Lentinan is a compound found in these mushrooms that has anti-microbial properties that target the type of bacteria causing tooth decay.

So prevent tooth decay and try adding shiitake mushrooms to your food dishes for great taste all while helping your teeth. Do you have any favorite shiitake dishes? Share with us on our Facebook page!

Healthy Choice of the Week: STRAWBERRIES

 

Healthy Choice of the Week: STRAWBERRIES

Not only a delicious summer fruit, strawberries can actually help your teeth. These berries contain malic acid, a natural enamel whitener.

You can even make your own home-made whitening treatment:

• Crush a strawberry to pulp, mix it with 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda, and spread it on your teeth using a soft toothbrush.
• Wait 5 minutes and brush it off, rinse, and voila! A whiter smile! (Use floss to get rid of unwanted strawberry seeds that may get trapped between your teeth)

Let us know how the strawberry whitening treatment works on your teeth on our Facebook page!

Healthy Choice of the Week: GINGER!

Healthy Choice of the Week: GINGER!

As you may know, this fibrous root helps relieve a variety of ailments - from headaches to upset stomachs, to treating ringworm. So it shouldn't be a surprise that it helps your teeth as well!

Ginger acts as an anti-inflammatory to support healthy mouth tissue. The anti-inflammatory properties found within ginger root serves as a pain killer and can aid in minor infections, swelling and discomfort associated with a minor toothache. 

Try adding some ginger to spice up your foods and help your teeth! Let us know how you're preparing your meal with ginger on our Facebook page!

Healthy Choice of the Week: WATER!

Healthy Choice of the Week: WATER

It sounds like a no-brainer, but a lot of people don’t drink water! They drink soda or other sugary

beverages. Sure, water is in those drinks, but there’s nothing like a cold glass of refreshing water!

Water not only hydrates you, but helps to clean your mouth of toxins and foot that is stuck in your teeth from after you ate. Drinking water helps to keep your gums hydrated and helps to produce saliva in your mouth, which deposits essential minerals into your teeth.

So the next time you have a meal or snack, fill up a cool glass of water instead of soda or juice. Your body needs it and your teeth benefits from it!

Let us know if you get your eight glasses a day on our Facebook page!

Healthy Choice of the Week: SESAME SEEDS!

Healthy Choice of the Week: SESAME SEEDS!

Sure, we use seeds to grow plants, fruits and vegetables, but many seeds are edible and contain health benefits! Sesame seeds are a great example.

Sesame seeds help to dissolve plaque buildup on your teeth, as well as building up tooth enamel - which protects your teeth! But wait, there’s more! Sesame seeds are rich in calcium, which helps to keep your teeth and bones healthy. So use some sesame seeds in your next recipe, or throw some in your salad!

Let us know how you will be preparing your next meal with sesame seeds, on our Facebook page!