Improving your diet for a healthier smile

We’ve recently begun testing the new Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart toothbrush which is changing the way we clean our teeth. But what we’ve started learning is that what you put into your mouth at meal time actually has a huge impact on your healthy smile too. Dr Steven Lin is a Dental Nutritionist and he’s provided some great tips for us.

An avo a day, keeps the doctor away
Avocado is certainly having its day in the sun and I’m about to add yet another reason to have your avo a day. Avocado is a food that is known for its ability to strengthen teeth along with other key foods like spinach and sauerkraut, making them fantastic foods to consume for good oral health. Reason being – an avocado’s flesh is full of prebiotic fiber, feeding probiotic bacteria in your oral and gut microbiome and promoting healthy digestion. Extra tip: the dark green Hass variety has more fiber than the lighter green Florida avocados, so if you’re looking to max your fiber, go for the Hass.

It’s all in the chew
Everyone knows that they need to lay off the sugar if they want a brighter, whiter smile. However, what’s not commonly known is that foods that make you chew will benefit your teeth. A serving of raw vegetables a day will do wonders for your smile. As will, plenty of bone building elements from calcium rich sources like almonds and kale.

Fat is back! 
One big challenge people find with reducing their sugar intake is what to replace them with. Natural fats are now back in fashion and the health benefits for your teeth and whole body are understood now better than ever. Specifically, a group of whole fatty foods such as eggs, butter and organ meats contain a group of vitamins A, D and K2. These three are specifically what your body needs to grow strong teeth and strengthen the immune system inside your teeth to protect you from dental disease. Don’t skimp on the fats and add these foods to your diet for a stunning and healthy smile.

Hold the refined 
Refined flour is problematic and is typically found in breads, pastas and white rice. The flour behaves in a similar way to sugar in the body, hence it’s not an ideal ingredient for your oral health. While everything in moderation will always be key, make sure you limit your intake and check out the packages while shopping to aim for wholegrain and whole meal varieties.

Diet & dentistry – a match made in heaven 
It’s vital you think of both diet AND dentistry working together – as good oral health care can’t exist on just one element. If you’re eating right but never brushing your teeth I will guarantee you’re still going to have problems, whether it be from staining, receding gums or just general wear and tear. In this day and age brands are making it easier than ever to achieve an oral health routine where you simply can’t go wrong but also allowing you to take your oral health into your own hands. Take for example Philips Sonicare who have just released one of the first connected toothbrushes in Australia (the DiamondClean Smart) which connects to a mobile app allowing users to receive real time feedback about their brushing habits – going miles beyond the results you can get from a manual toothbrush.