April is Oral Health Month. Learn ways to keep your gums and teeth healthy, naturally.
April is National Oral Health Month in Canada. To celebrate, we’ve compiled the best tips from recent articles for keeping your smile white and your teeth and gums healthy, naturally.
Why should I care about oral health?
Apart from maintaining a glowing smile, oral health is important because it is linked to a host of serious health concerns. Gum disease has been linked to
- heart disease
- premature births
- diabetes
Good oral health starts with prevention. But aside from brushing, flossing, and visiting your dentist regularly, what can you do?
Eat tooth-friendly foods
- Dairy products such as yogourt, cheese, and milk contain calcium necessary for healthy bones and teeth.
- Other tooth-friendly snacks include nuts and seeds, vegetables, and whole grains.
Avoid certain foods
- Beware: sugar can be disguised under many names, including glucose, fructose, and corn syrup.
- Sweetened coffee and tea are like grown-up soft drinks, with much the same effects.
- Alcohol removes enamel from the tooth surface, causing discoloration and cavities.
- Bacteria love refined, starchy foods, such as breads, pasta, crackers, rice, potato, and popcorn.
Snack smartly
- Sweets don’t have to be completely off limits. When you do indulge in sweets, eat them at mealtimes when there is more saliva in the mouth to fight the sugar.
Choose a natural toothpaste
Keep these ingredients in mind when selecting a natural toothpaste.
- Aloe vera helps to soothe and heal inflammation.
- Coenzyme Q10 has been suggested to protect gums and treat gum disease.
- Xylitol is a sugar alternative that may help to prevent cavities.
- Zinc citrate has been shown to reduce bacteria on teeth.
- Peppermint is a common flavouring agent that freshens breath naturally.
Kill bad breath
- Keep your mouth moist to stimulate saliva and wash away bacteria. Drink water.
- Eat yogourt for healthy digestion, which prevents digestive odours from wafting upward.
- Chew fennel seeds or herbs such as parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Brew herbal tea from their leaves, or chew cloves or grind them into a powder for tea.
More tips
Check out our recent articles for tips about
- children’s oral health
- foods to avoid and foods to indulge in
- natural gear, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, and mouth rinses
- how to get rid of bad breath
- natural tooth whitening
- municipal water fluoridation
