7 Foods To Naturally Heal Cavities & Maintain Oral Hygiene.
Most people believe oral health only means pearly white teeth. this is the reason why western supermarkets are filled with teeth whitening toothpaste and home treatments,
In Ayurveda, oral health is considered an indicator of overall health, well-being, and quality of lifestyle. The true definition of oral health encompasses different diseases and conditions which include cavities, gum diseases, tooth loss, and bad breath.
According to the CDC, more than 3.5 billion people worldwide are affected by some kind of oral disease. According to the international research data on cancer, lip and oral cancers are among the most common cancers in the world.
We also know that poor oral health is linked to cardiovascular health. When our oral health is poor, our gums get infected with bacteria. This bacteria seeps into the blood vessels and travels all over the body.
When the bacteria reach into the blood. our body’s immune response triggers inflammation. This inflammation is the root cause of tiny blood clots, health-related problems, and even stroke.
This is also the reason why many antibiotics don’t work for cardia issues triggered by poor oral health.
However modern science can’t find a direct correlation between gum disease and cardiovascular disease. Western research identifies other factors like excessive smoking and opium consumption.
Other potential “confounders” include poor access to oral healthcare and lack of oral exercise perhaps people without health facilities or who don’t take good care of their overall health are more likely to have poor oral health and heart disease.
In the western world, there is just one treatment for any type of tooth-related problem, either to extract it out or clean the cavity and plug the hole.
No matter how small a decay is, western medications’ first line of treatment is filling, This is the reason why many people suffer from dental anxiety and they avoid dentist visits as much as they can.
This is the reason why there is an urgent need for a universally safe and effective way of oral disease prevention and treatment.
According to my personal 3 months experience, Ayurveda is a very good alternative for that.
This ancient, tried, and tested system of medicine not only recommends treatments with specific herbs and minerals to cure various oral diseases but also recommends some daily diets that have therapeutic effects on our oral health.
In this article, we will be discussing 7 foods that are proven and backed by Ayurveda to promote and maintain oral hygiene.
Yogurt or Curd.
I’m not talking about flavored yogurts which are packed with excess artificial sugar. I’m talking about fresh yogurt mixed with jaggery powder to taste.
According to the ancient texts, fresh yogurt is a rich source of calcium and protein, which makes it a superfood for providing strength to gums and teeth
According to the latest research, yogurt can benefit our oral health in many other ways too. the healthy probiotic bacteria found in yogurt help protect your gums and teeth from disease and decay-causing bacteria, this probiotic biome of bacteria also decreases the levels of hydrogen sulfide in oral cavities. Remember, hydrogen sulfide is the lead cause of stinky breath.
Green leafy vegetables.
green leafy vegetables are not only good for your overall health but also provide an ample supply of calcium to rebuild the enamel of the teeth.
Whenever we eat, our enamel takes damage, to repair the damage our body needs an ample amount of calcium
Dark green leafy vegetables like lettuce, kale, cabbage, spinach, asparagus, chard, and other greens are packed with a variety of vitamins and folic acids.
Folic acids are very effective in reducing gum inflammation and help them become more strong against dental plaque and anaerobic bacteria.
As we know plaque and bacteria are the two primary culprits responsible for tooth decay, bad breath, and gum disease. Folic acid can also help to reduce gum bleeding, which is one of the most common signs of gum disease.
Fruits with Skin:
Fruits like apples, pears, kiwi, guava are the rich source of teeth cleaning fibrous textured pulp. these are also very high in water content.
Eating such fibrous pulp fruits produces lots of saliva in your mouth, which rinses away the bacteria and food particles that are stuck in hard-to-reach places of your mouth. The fibrous consistency of fruits also massages the.
Rare steak
Well, this one was recommended by my dentist, and this really worked, chewing on rare cooked meats produces tons of saliva. this saliva is very helpful in the rebalancing of the mouth bacterial biome. and reduces the acid buildups between the teeth.
Apart from producing saliva red meats are also rich in phosphorous, which is very crucial for maintaining and building the tooth’s outer enamel layer.
Cocoa:
Go grab that 70% dark chocolate. According to the studies, cacao in dark chocolate is way better than fluoride in protecting your teeth, it protects you against cavities by strengthening tooth enamel.
Cacao beans are rich in tannins, polyphenols, and flavonoids which are all strong antioxidants that benefit your mouth and teeth. Polyphenols limit the effects of bacteria by neutralizing the microorganisms that cause bad breath and prevent infections in your gums while battling tooth decay. Flavonoids in cacao have also proven to slow down tooth decay.
Tea
Ever noticed more mouthwashes now contain green tea extracts. It is because tea contains polyphenols that interacts with plaque and slows its buildup speed. The polyphenols in green tea were shown to cause an antimicrobial effect against all the mouth germs that were tested, reducing the ability of the bacteria to grow in enough quantity to cause cavities.
Polyphenols also prevent bacterium growth which reduces the cavity-causing acid production in teeth.
Another study proves that when a heavily damaged tooth was immersed in green tea solution, it reversed the decaying process and remineralized the enamel, hardening the softened part of the tooth.
A separate study has shown the significance of the temperature of the tea. Colder temperatures enhanced the remineralization, while very hot tea, did the reverse. Even though green tea can preserve enamel, hot green tea does not have the same effect.
Chew some sugarless chewing gums.
According to the American dental association, chewing sugarless gum increases the production of saliva, which washes away food particles and neutralizes the acid. Increased saliva flow also carries with it more calcium and phosphate to help strengthen tooth enamel.
