Prevent Tooth Decay With These Foods and Teas

There are more ways to promote tooth decay than just eating sweets. Learn about the other causes and which foods can help keep your pearly whites shining.
Prevent Tooth Decay With These Foods and Teas
Hryshchyshen Serhii/Shutterstock
|Updated:
Eating too many sweets is not the only cause of tooth decay. People who frequently stay up late or have low saliva levels are also prone to cavities. This article will discuss four foods and two types of tea that can help prevent tooth decay.

4 Causes of Tooth Decay

Why do cavities occur? Here are some common causes:
  1. Acidic foods and beverages: Sweet treats, soda, and fruit juice are highly acidic beverages that can directly acidify teeth, disrupting the natural pH balance in the mouth. In an acidic environment, dental plaque adheres to the teeth, making teeth more susceptible to enamel erosion and contributing to tooth decay. Sticky sweets, such as candies, chocolates, cookies, and pastries, can coat the surface of the teeth, providing abundant nutrients for bacteria in the mouth.
  2. Fried and spicy foods: Excessive intake can lead to swollen and inflamed gums, bad breath, dry mouth, and even tooth decay.
  3. Unhealthy habits: Regularly staying up late, excessive work, high stress, and insomnia can weaken the body’s immune system. This can lead to a proliferation of bacteria in the mouth, which can accumulate on the teeth or gum tissues, resulting in swollen and inflamed gums or tooth decay.
  4. Insufficient saliva production: Low saliva production can make the mouth acidic, speeding up the loss of calcium and minerals from the teeth and potentially leading to tooth decay.

4 Foods for Preventing Tooth Decay

Some foods contribute to protecting our dental health. For instance, onions and cheese can help prevent and lessen tooth decay.

1. Onion

Onions help to lower cholesterol and prevent tooth decay. The sulfur compounds in onions exhibit potent antibacterial properties. Regular consumption of onions can also boost immunity and prevent heart disease.
Yingta Lee
Yingta Lee
Author
Yingta Lee holds a Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy and is a licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner in Taiwan. Currently serving as the Director of Taoyuan Cihang Chinese Medicine Clinic, Lee specializes in internal medicine, acupuncture, injuries, gynecology, pediatrics, and dermatology. His philosophy underscores the interconnectedness of physiology and psychology. Lee believes that a person's mental well-being, characterized by happiness and an open-minded approach, plays a pivotal role in maintaining overall health.
Related Topics