When a large number of fruits, berries, various vegetables ripen, we stock up on vitamins for a long winter and eat all this plant abundance with pleasure. We eat, chew, crunch and often do not think about the effect fruits and vegetables have on teeth. Are they only beneficial? Or is there a danger to enamel, gums and overall dental health in seasonal fruits and berries? It turns out you have to be careful.
sour fruits
“It is important to remember that everything needs a measure: when we eat a large amount of sour fruits, we use a lot of citric acid,” explained aif.ru Evgenia Boytsova, orthopedic dentist, and it hurts your teeth. If you are fond of citrus fruits, then you should definitely rinse your mouth with water, as citric acid adversely affects the enamel, destroying it, depleting it and leading to excessive sensitivity.
The same can be said about freshly squeezed sour juices, not only from citrus fruits, it can be juices from sour apples, for example. In addition to the fact that they affect the enamel (and you need to rinse your mouth), such juices are also not recommended to be consumed on an empty stomach, as they increase the level of acidity in the gastrointestinal tract. After drinking such liquids, one should inactivate the acid by eating a piece of cheese or drinking a glass of water, the expert advises.
Strawberry-raspberry
It is very important to pay attention to the use of berries with small seeds. “Active chewing of raspberries, blackberries, red and black currants with damaged teeth and disturbed contact points between the teeth leads to sticking of stones between the gums, cracks in the enamel, the formation of caries and inflammation of the gums (gingivitis, a disease that is accompanied by bleeding, receding gums and discomfort), Boytsova warns. “It is important to thoroughly clean your mouth after eating these berries.”
Pineapple
Among the fruits and berries that are good for the oral cavity, pineapple stands out. It has antiseptic properties, contains a large amount of vitamin C, which affects the enamel and oral mucosa and strengthens the blood supply, which, in turn, thickens the gums and helps reduce the risk of gingivitis and periodontitis.
Apples
Among hard fruits, pears and apples are very useful for teeth, since when they are chewed, salivation increases, the jaw apparatus works well and self-cleaning occurs. “Such fruits are good to eat after the main meals, when there is no toothbrush at hand,” advises Boitsova.
Cabbage
It has a healing effect when chewing, massaging the gums, removing plaque. Cabbage juice also has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. “Cabbage juice diluted with water is used to rinse the mouth with stomatitis. Since cabbage contains a large amount of magnesium, calcium and potassium, it helps to strengthen bones and teeth, ”says Tatyana Ilyina, orthopedic dentist.
Bright color
Some of the fruits and berries can stain the enamel. Among these are blueberries, currants and cherries. They are not recommended to eat after whitening or restoration of teeth. Rinse your mouth after use.
It is better to replace such berries with soft fruits: bananas, pears, melons, strawberries.
The benefits of vegetables and fruits
We do not want to say that seasonal fruits and vegetables are bad for teeth, on the contrary. Many of them have a beneficial effect on tooth enamel. Especially hard ones. “While chewing, apples, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots and other similar foods contribute to the natural self-cleaning of the oral cavity from soft plaque, massage the gums and prevent the formation of tartar,” explains dentist-orthodontist Ruslan Kantaev. “Their rigidity puts a healthy load on the chewing system: the muscles and jaws begin to work properly.”
Berries and fruits rich in vitamin C are powerful antioxidants. It is also necessary for the production of collagen, a key protein that helps prevent a variety of gum and periodontal diseases, the expert emphasizes.
Without vitamin C, the gums become sensitive and more vulnerable to diseases such as periodontitis or periodontal disease. And the best sources of vitamin C are sweet peppers, apples, strawberries.
Source: aif.ru
