Eating the right foods can help accelerate healing of your restoration and avoid unnecessary discomfort, or worse, damage to your newly-restored tooth. It’s understandable that you’d be worried about what you can eat after a root canal.

Being prepared with the following dietary guidelines can help your root canal heal as fast as
possible!

Avoid Hard, Sticky, or Chewy Foods

After getting your root canal done, you’ll want to avoid eating anything until the numbness
from your procedure fully wears off. When you do reach for food, try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth while your restoration is healing.

Make note to avoid foods that are hard, sticky, or chewy for at least the first few days. These don’t just include sweet foods like gum or candy. Even hard breads and some fresh foods such as raw apples and carrots should be avoided.

Ice and nuts are also off-limits while your tooth is healing. Research shows that food can
influence the possibility of an infection after root canal therapy, so eating the right foods
absolutely helps [1]!

Exercise Caution with Foods That Contribute to Tooth Sensitivity

Some people may experience some tooth sensitivity following root canal therapy.

If you have a history of tooth sensitivity, your dentist might have you avoid overly hot, cold, spicy, or sweet foods. These are all foods that have the potential to bother your new
restoration while it’s healing.

If you experience extreme sensitivity when eating after your root canal procedure, contact your dentist to follow up with your discomfort.

Great Soft Foods You Can Enjoy

Following your root canal procedure, it’s a good idea to stick with softer foods. Eating soft foods can give your mouth time to heal and avoid any potential damage to your tooth.

These foods could include:

 Protein in the form of fish, eggs, tofu, oats, or beans
 Fruits such as banana, mangoes, and peaches
 Snacks such as applesauce, yogurt, or smoothies

You can plan ahead of time to ensure you have plenty of foods available in your home or at
work to eat so you’re not tempted to eat off-limits foods while your smile is healing.

Remember to contact your dentist should you have any questions after your root canal or if
you’re not sure what you’re experiencing is normal. Severe pain, swelling, or bleeding after
your appointment may require additional medical attention [2].

When it comes to healing after a root canal procedure, what you can eat can make a big
difference. Simply by exercising caution after your procedure when eating, you can avoid pain,
sensitivity, and speed up the healing process!

Sources:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4601489/
2. https://www.aae.org/patients/your-office-visit/post-treatment-care/

The post What Can You Eat After a Root Canal? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

By checking your food’s nutrition label, you can make healthier choices to have a radiant smile. What exactly should you look for on the nutrition label to protect and even nourish your teeth and gums?

Check for Sugar

We all know how damaging sugar can be to our teeth. Sugar can wear away tooth enamel and cause cavities and tooth sensitivity.

Typical foods that have sugar include sodas, candy, breads, and other processed foods. However, sugar can be hiding in foods such as yogurt, tomato sauce, and salad dressings. The label should tell you how many grams of sugar are in a product. Women should have no more than 25 grams a day (six teaspoons) and men should have no more than 37.5 grams a day (nine teaspoons) [1].

Eat Foods Rich in Calcium and Vitamin D

On most nutrition labels, there’s a section for percent daily values (DV). This section will tell you what percentage of nutrients you’re getting from the food.

Teeth need a diet rich in vitamins and minerals to remain strong and healthy. Looking for foods that have higher percentages of calcium and vitamin D can help you maintain a radiant smile.

Examples of these foods include wild-caught salmon, which can have 988 IU of vitamin D per ounce, wild mushrooms, and even fortified soy milk [2]. For foods high in calcium, cooked beans, almonds, and dark leafy greens top the charts. If you eat dairy, milk and hard cheeses are excellent sources of calcium and vitamin D as well.

Look for Foods with Vitamin A, C, and K2

All of these vitamins play a vital role in your dental health. Vitamin A and C help protect your smile from infection such as that which is present in gum disease. Vitamin A can also encourage healthy saliva production to buffer teeth from acids and bacteria. Vitamin C is essential for maintaining gum health.

But what about vitamin K2? Chances are you haven’t heard of this one.

Vitamin K2 is found in animal products such as liver, eggs, butter, chicken, beef, and even lamb. However, if you follow a plant-based diet, you can also get vitamin K2 from sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, and hard cheeses. Vitamin K2 can protect against tooth decay and help teeth repel bacteria and stay strong [3].

Don’t Discount the Importance of Fats

Fats have gotten a bad reputation in the past. But the truth is that not all fats are bad. The right kinds of fats are actually essential to fight inflammation. These include oils such as olive oil and flaxseed oil. Even saturated fats—eaten in moderation, of course—aren’t as bad as experts once thought. Unrefined saturated fats such as coconut oil and butter can help reduce inflammation, unlike refined oils that promote inflammation, such as canola, soybean, and corn oil [4].

Eating Right for Your Teeth

You can help protect your teeth and promote a beautiful smile by continuing your regular oralcare habits but also by eating healthy. When you regularly check the nutrition label on the food products you buy, you empower yourself to make smart choices for your smile!

Sources:
1. http://sugarscience.ucsf.edu/the-growing-concern-of-overconsumption.html#.XD0bYc9Kgxc
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2698592/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4566462/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4382606/

The post Want a Radiant Smile? Check Out Your Food’s Nutrition Label appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

While eating, your mouth produces saliva to help you chew and swallow food. Saliva also helps
to prevent plaque from building up in the oral cavity. With snacking, this isn’t quite the case.
Constantly exposing your mouth to acids from food can hurt your teeth.

How exactly does snacking impact your oral health? The answer may surprise you!

Snacking Increases Your Risk for Tooth Decay

Since saliva plays an important role in protecting our teeth, lack thereof can increase your risk
for tooth decay. People who experience dry mouth are at higher risk for tooth decay, but so are
those who snack frequently.

Constantly nibbling on food doesn’t give your body a chance to produce the adequate amount
of saliva needed to neutralize acids from what you’re eating. When you snack instead of eating
a full meal, you could be increasing your risk for tooth decay and not realize it.

Processed Foods Can Attack Tooth Enamel

Unfortunately, snacks often include highly processed foods which contain added sugars and
carbohydrates. These kinds of foods—think granola bars, potato chips, or cookies—not only
stick to your teeth, but can actually start eroding tooth enamel while they take their time to
dissolve!

Foods that are high in carbohydrates such as these are more likely to cause sensitive teeth and
tooth decay due to the fact that they attack tooth enamel. Processed foods can also promote
inflammation such as that which is present in gum disease. When you snack on processed
foods, you could be harming your teeth and gums instead of waiting to eat a meal or choosing
healthier snacks.

What Can You Do?

First, reducing the amount of time that you snack is going to be important for your oral health.
It’s ok to have occasional snacks throughout the day, but be choosy about what you eat and
make a point not to constantly nibble on food.

Limiting sugary snack foods to meals can also help you maintain better oral health instead of
eating sugar in between meals when your saliva production is going to be lower. Reducing your
intake of processed foods and foods with added sugar is going to benefit you as well.

When you do decide to snack, be sure to drink plenty of water. Water can help replenish your
saliva and maintain a barrier between harmful bacteria and your tooth enamel.

And as always, follow up with your dentist. Getting professional cleanings removes plaque and
bacteria that toothbrushes and floss can’t always get rid of. By keeping up with your checkups,
you can give your smile its best chance to be healthy!

You don’t have to give up snacking to have a great smile—just reduce the number of snacks you
have per day and always follow best practices when doing so. By eating healthier snacks such as
whole foods and reducing the amount of processed foods you eat in addition to drinking water,
you can set your mouth up for some healthy snacking time!

The post How Is Snacking Impacting Your Oral Health? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Although teething can be a challenging time for both parents and kids, it’s important to
remember that this is only a temporary experience for your child. Teething tends to be worse
when children are tired or at night, making it harder for both you and your baby to sleep.
How can you help your baby feel better when the pain of teething is present? Here are some
suggestions to best manage your child’s teething.

Cold Compresses

Cold can help numb baby’s mouth and lessen their pain. To do this, you have a few options:

 A frozen washcloth. Put a clean, wet washcloth in the freezer in a plastic bag. Once
chilled or frozen, take it out and let your child chew on it. This will help relieve their
soreness.

 Rubber teething rings. These rings can be frozen or chewed on at room temperature,
whichever your baby prefers.

 Wooden teething toys. For those wanting to avoid plastic, these teethers can still be
frozen or just help apply pressure to your child’s gums, which will help control pain.
It’s essential to always supervise your child when they have any of these objects at their
disposal. To help distract baby, keep alternating frozen washcloths to help your child manage
the discomfort of teething.

Gum Massage

A gum massage helps put pressure on the gumline, which can lessen pain. You can use a tool
for this—called a teething stick—or just use your clean fingers.

Gently rub any sore areas on your baby’s gums. You can rub back and forth on the gumline as
well as above and below the gumline. This will also help you to feel if there’s a tooth coming
out. Instead of using your fingers, you can also use the washcloth we discussed earlier or a
small piece of wet gauze, as long as your movements are gentle.

You can also massage your baby’s gums from the outside of the mouth, whichever option your
child is more comfortable with.

Chilled Foods

If your child is eating solid foods, you can use cold or chilled foods to help them overcome their
discomfort while teething. These foods include yogurt, applesauce, carrots, celery, and
watermelon.

In addition, you can also take advantage of mesh holders that are designed to hold chilled or
frozen fruit so that your child can chew on these and still get the juice of the fruit out while
providing relief for their teething pain.

It’s always crucial to supervise your child while they are eating these foods, especially if they’re
beginners with solid foods. Never let them bite off chunks that are too big for them to chew.
Is your baby going through the teething process? If so, take advantage of some of these helpful
suggestions to lessen your baby’s discomfort. Your child may find relief from using cold
compresses or chilled foods in addition to gum massage to help both you and your child feel
better!

The post How to Best Manage Your Child’s Teething appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

What we eat directly impacts our mouths in terms of acidity and bacteria due to the pH of our
saliva, which nourishes teeth. However, what we eat also indirectly affects our mouths through
the nutrients we absorb from the food we consume.

So what are you waiting for? You can give your smile a boost with the following eating habits to
nourish both smile and body for life!

Getting Enough Protein

Protein is an essential building block for just about everything in your body—from bones and
muscles to hormones and enzymes, your body needs protein.

However, your smile needs protein too. This is because protein plays a key role in healing
tissues of the body. This includes the connective tissue in your mouth as well as your tooth
structure. Protein can support a healthy smile through proper consumption.

Good sources of protein include chicken, fish, eggs, grass-fed beef, and yogurt. For plant-based
diets, beans, nuts, seeds, quinoa, and tofu are all excellent sources.

Eating Foods with Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium and vitamin D are both essential nutrients that might help strengthen your tooth
enamel, which is made of mostly calcium. Calcium pairs with vitamin D to help tooth enamel,
the immune system, and connective tissue.

Good sources of calcium include yogurt, cheese, and milk, while plant-based sources include
kale, tofu, almonds, and broccoli. For vitamin D, fish is one of the highest sources, especially
salmon and sardines, along with milk and eggs. Vegan sources include mushrooms, tofu, and
fortified almond and soy milk.

Don’t Forget Your Vitamin C

An essential vitamin for immune system function, it also helps with collagen (think anti-aging)
and this component of vitamin C helps the ligaments that hold your teeth in place. Your
immune system also plays an essential role in fighting gum disease!

Good sources of vitamin C include bell peppers, broccoli, papaya, kiwi, oranges, and
strawberries. Remember that while fruit juices are also high in vitamin C, these juices can be
just as damaging to your tooth enamel as soda, so minimize sugary juices without the fiber.

Omega-3 Fats

Fortunately, these healthy fats are included in some of the other foods we discussed. Omega-3
fatty acids help your body with an anti-inflammatory response to help support the immune
system, decrease inflammation, and fight bacteria all while supporting the connective tissue in
your mouth.

Great sources include fish (mackerel and salmon are the highest), tuna, anchovies, and egg
yolks. Plant-based sources include walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, avocado, and hemp seeds.

Are you eating for a super smile? Impress your dentist at your next checkup by nourishing both
your body and your smile with these healthy eating habits. Simply by getting enough protein,
calcium, and healthy fats in conjunction with essential vitamins D and C, you can help your
smile remain strong and beautiful for life!

The post Eating Habits That Will Promote Your Oral Health appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

The following are some of the top foods that can make you pull that floss out not just during
your regular routine, but when you need to get these little pieces out of your teeth!

Popcorn

Popcorn is an infamous food for getting stuck in your teeth. Although the softer parts can get
stuck in your teeth, it’s usually pieces of the kernel that can wedge themselves painfully
between your teeth and up against your gums. Be careful when removing pieces of popcorn, as
the kernels could actually cut your gums.

Spinach

Raw or cooked spinach is an excellent food for your teeth. Not only does it contain calcium, but
it also contains protein, iron, and many other vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for your
body. However, spinach can be pesky when it gets stuck in your teeth. Fortunately, spinach is
soft and can almost always be easily flossed out.

Caramel

Caramel and toffee are two of the worst candies for your teeth. They’re sticky and tend to hang
on to your teeth, increasing the chances that you’ll experience enamel damage from these
sugary substances. If caramel or toffee gets stuck between your teeth, be diligent about flossing
it out before brushing your teeth.

Steak

While chewing pieces of steak, it’s all too easy to get this hearty substance in between your
teeth. Although not as damaging as sugar or popcorn, you should still aim to floss these pieces
out gently either before you brush your teeth or if they’re causing you pain.

Pineapple

Fruits such as pineapple and mango can contain stringy pieces that can easily lodge between
your pearly whites and cause irritation. Although raw fruit isn’t generally considered harmful to
teeth, you’ll still want to floss these pieces out. To help minimize pieces from getting stuck, cut
up appropriately before consuming.

Broccoli

Broccoli florets are one of the worst culprits for getting in your teeth. Fortunately, unless you’re
eating raw broccoli, they’re easy enough to remove and shouldn’t cause any damage. Broccoli
is a highly beneficial vegetable for both your body and your smile, so don’t let this little
annoyance about it bother you too much!

Potato Chips

Starchy vegetables such as potatoes and their processed forms including potato chips can get
stuck in your teeth. The same goes for simple starches such as white bread, which tends to be
sticky and can wedge between your teeth. These particles are simple to remove, just be sure
not to eat them too often!

Have you gotten any of these foods stuck between your teeth before? A little bit of floss goes a
long way when it comes to dislodging food and protecting your smile. Although these foods
may require extra flossing, some of them—such as fruit, spinach, and broccoli—are beneficial
to your smile!

The post Which Foods Require Additional Flossing? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

This means that eating whole foods that are rich in nutrients may be able to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, combined with regular oral hygiene habits, of course! Here’s why apples and a few other key foods might help stop cavities in their tracks.

Apples

Apples are crunchy and contain lots of water, which is essential to adequate saliva production. The firmness of apples can actually help remove plaque from your teeth while you’re chewing and keep your smile healthy throughout the day. Apples are also high in vitamin C, a nutrient that’s essential for gum health.

Carrots

Carrots, like apples, are crunchy and are great plaque-fighters. Combine this with chewing and you’ve got a toothbrush snack in your hands! Baby carrots or traditional carrots are excellent snacks for your teeth. Chewing carrots can increase saliva production, which helps nourish your teeth and stops bad bacteria from eating away at your tooth enamel.

Calcium

Calcium is an essential nutrient to your smile and fortunately is found is many foods. Foods such as unsweetened yogurts, cheese, and milk can all strengthen your teeth and help protect against cavities. If you can’t eat dairy, you’re in luck—leafy greens contain calcium too! These greens include spinach, kale, broccoli, and collard greens. Enjoy!

Celery

Celery is firm and can help scrub your teeth similarly to apples and carrots, but it also packs another advantage: it’s about 95% water. This means it’s counting towards your hydration, helping your oral bacteria, and providing you with a delicious and healthy snack. Top with peanut butter, cream cheese, or almond butter for extra flavor.

Healthy Fats

A growing body of research is showing that essential fatty acids such as omega-3s may play an important role in protecting your smile from gum disease. These omega-3 fatty acids are most present in fish. You can also receive vegetable-based forms from chia seeds, flax seeds, and avocadoes. Nuts such as walnuts are also a great source!

Foods to Avoid

Dentists often recommend avoiding processed foods, and with good reason—many of them contain sugar and refined carbohydrates, which can easily stick to teeth and cause tooth decay. Foods to avoid include soda, anything sticky and sweet (think candy), chips, and even granola bars, which can have high amounts of sugar. Reading the nutrition label and being aware of how much sugar you’re consuming can help you make healthier choices for a healthier smile.

Are you ready to fight tooth decay with these healthy foods? You don’t have to let cavities take over your smile as a result of your diet. By consuming the right foods, you can have a beautiful smile for life. With the right nutrition, regular dentist visits, and some savvy oral care techniques, you can protect your smile from decay and shine on!

The post Does an Apple a Day Keep Cavities Away? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

If you find that you have bad breath almost all the time, even after brushing or using
mouthwash, something else is likely going on that needs to be addressed. What could chronic bad breath mean? Here’s what might be affecting your smile and why you should get it checked out.

You Could Have Gum Disease

Gum disease is often the culprit behind chronic bad breath. This is because the infection that’s present beneath your gumline can’t be removed with regular brushing and flossing. This will create either a bad taste in your mouth or a foul odor, or both. In addition to this symptom, you might also see blood when brushing or have tender gum tissue.

Since gum disease can lead to tooth loss over time, it’s crucial that you get this checked out by a dentist. Catching gum disease early can help you avoid intensive treatment and may just save your smile—and alleviate your chronic bad breath!

You May Be Dehydrated

If you’re not drinking enough fluid throughout the day, you could be dehydrated. Consider your daily fluid intake. If you’re drinking fluids that will ultimately dehydrate you, including coffee, alcohol, and caffeinated teas, you could be contributing to your chronic bad breath and not even realize it!

While it’s fine to have these beverages, you should be sure to drink plenty of water as well. For every drink with caffeine or alcohol in it, have a glass of water. This will help balance the dehydrating effect these drinks can have on your body and your mouth. Water can restore your bacteria balance and help stop bad breath.

You Could Have an Underlying Illness

There are certain illnesses where bad breath is a sign. These include liver or kidney disease, renal failure, diabetes, asthma, and even throat cancer. There’s no way to know what your bad breath is telling you without getting evaluated by a physician. Your first stop should be the dentist’s office to ensure you don’t have tooth decay or gum disease or exhibit any signs of oral cancer.

If none of these things are present, it’s time to see your doctor to see exactly what your bad breath is trying to tell you. If your bad breath remains without a cause, don’t ignore it. Getting this symptom checked out might just save your life!

When it comes to halitosis, you should absolutely see a professional to determine what’s causing the problem. If increasing your fluid intake doesn’t help, you should see a dentist to evaluate your smile and then a physician to ensure there’s nothing else going on. Don’t let chronic bad breath impact your life—you can determine the cause and stop this embarrassing problem once and for all!

The post Is Chronic Bad Breath Impacting Your Life? Read On appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Tooth enamel is actually porous. Over time, our teeth can get stained. This happens for a few
reasons, lack of proper dental care and eating habits among them.
What eating habits will lead to tooth discoloration? Here are some foods you might want to
watch out for and what you can do.

The Top Staining Foods

All foods have the potential to contribute to your teeth staining if you aren’t brushing your
teeth. However, there are a few that will cause more staining than others, especially if you’re
not drinking water or brushing afterwards.

These include foods like tomatoes (especially in pasta sauce), berries, and strong spices. Any
berry has the potential to stain your teeth. Particularly potent ones include blueberries,
blackberries, and cranberries. Spices such as curry and turmeric can also cause your teeth to
have a yellow or brownish tinge.

Other foods that could stain include balsamic vinegar and candies that contain food dye.
The Top Beverages That Stain

In addition to eating habits, beverages can stain your teeth just as much if not more than
certain foods do. The biggest culprits are coffee, tea, and red wine. Regular consumption of all
of these beverages can majorly stain your smile over time. Even certain juices can discolor your
teeth—think cranberry or cherry juice.

Although some of these stains will be superficial and can be removed with a toothbrush, others
will go deeper and may need a professional whitening to correct. Your best and safest drink for
your smile is water, so it’s smart to consume all other beverages in moderation!

Getting Your Whitest Smile Possible

You don’t have to totally give up the foods you love to have a smile that you love too. Follow
these tips to get your whitest smile possible:

 Drink water. Drinking water while consuming teeth-staining foods or drinking beverages
that can stain will help. It minimizes the staining damage and rinses your mouth!

 Brush your teeth. It’s a bad idea to brush immediately after eating as it can harm tooth
enamel, so try to wait about a half hour. After this, gently brush your teeth to help
remove surface stains and stop any additional staining from setting in.

 Use a straw. Using a straw for beverages such as coffee and tea can help the drink to
bypass your teeth, therefore helping to cut down on stains.

 Visit your dentist. Your dentist can remove most surface stains through professional
cleanings, especially regular ones! You can also talk with your dentist about getting a
professional whitening to get rid of any deep stains you might have.

It’s easy to have a white smile when you properly care for your teeth!
Tooth staining is embarrassing and can cause people to hide their smiles even if they have
perfectly straight teeth. While there are certain foods and drinks that can cause staining, you
can help protect your smile with the right care. Drinking enough water, brushing your teeth,
and visiting your dentist can help you achieve your brightest smile!

The post What Eating Habits Can Lead to Tooth Discoloration? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Dark Leafy Greens

Get ready for vegetables! Dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and collard greens are highly beneficial for your smile as well as your body. These vegetables are high in vitamins and minerals such as calcium and folic acid, which may help combat gum disease.

How to get: Try as a side dish with each meal, add a handful to a smoothie, or top your next pizza!

Yogurt

Yogurt is not only high in calcium, but contains probiotics, which are healthy bacteria that help nourish teeth and gums and may even help reduce cavities. If you’re lactose intolerant, you can choose coconut milk yogurt or almond milk yogurt instead. Just be sure to choose unsweetened yogurts, as some yogurts can have more sugar than candy!

How to get: Try yogurt as your new breakfast food or as dessert with fresh fruit on top. Yogurt also makes a great snack!

Crunchy Foods

No, we’re not talking about potato chips! These include fresh, raw foods such as apples, carrots, and celery. These crunchy, firm foods help your mouth produce more saliva, which helps balance your bacteria and protect teeth from cavities. These foods also help to actually clean your teeth by scrubbing them with their firm pieces.

How to get: These make excellent snacks and are so easy to take on the go! You can try apples with peanut butter and carrots and celery with hummus.

Green Tea

Although tea has a bad reputation for staining your teeth, green tea has actually been shown to be very beneficial for both teeth and gums. Its polyphenol content can help stop bad bacteria and reduce inflammation in the gums, meaning it may help fight gum disease.

How to get: Try green tea for breakfast instead of coffee, or enjoy iced in the afternoon with lunch!

Nuts

Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and even cashews are high in calcium and other trace minerals that nourish a healthy smile. These crunchy foods can also stimulate saliva production, making your mouth cleaner and healthier.

How to get: Nuts make an excellent snack and can also be used in salads and other dishes as a fun and interesting topping! You can help make your mouth a healthier place just by being choosy about what foods you eat.

These foods make the top of the list when it comes to nourishing your teeth and gums through your diet. By including more leafy greens, yogurt, green tea, and nuts in your diet along with crunchy vegetables and fruits for a snack can help your smile be brighter than ever!

The post The Dental Diet: How Nutrition Can Enhance Your Dental Health appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.