An estimated 61 percent of adults visit a dentist office at least once a year. Many of these people visit dental professionals' offices due to treatable dental conditions such as cavities or cracked teeth and other general dentistry issues. Oftentimes, these types of problems stem from weakened tooth enamel. To keep your smile healthy, consider adopting the following 5 ways to naturally strengthen tooth enamel.
Eat Onions
Enamel is the tough outer covering of your teeth. While enamel is extremely hard, unexpected circumstances and lifestyle choices can wear it down. Thankfully, you can better preserve your enamel by consuming certain food items. Onions are one pantry staple that are believed to be beneficial to enamel.
Onions are made up of compounds that contain sulfur. This presence of sulfur in onions gives them the ability to destroy bacteria in your mouth. When bacteria builds up in your mouth, it can lead to cavities and weakened tooth enamel.
Raw onions seem to provide more smile enhancing benefits than cooked ones. However, if you don't like the taste or texture of raw onions, you can still profit from eating this vegetable cooked. To incorporate onions into a tooth healthy diet, consider:
- Adding diced onions to a chicken or tuna salad
- Adding sliced onions to a bed of greens
- Putting diced onions in soups
- Incorporating chopped onions in casseroles
- Mixing diced onions in dips
- Roasting a whole onion with garlic and butter
- Adding caramelized onions to a steak or a hamburger
Consume Horsetail
Besides onions, the herb horsetail is believed to strengthen tooth enamel. In addition to strengthening tooth enamel, horsetail is also recommended for people suffering from osteoporosis and fragile nails. Horsetail's success stems from its ingredients of:
- Potassium
- Silica
- Calcium
- Magnesium
These 4 power substances have long been considered beneficial for teeth and bones. To get the recommended dosage of horsetail, you can take it in capsule form. If you don't like taking pills, you can blend this herb into your toothpaste.
Drink Green Tea
These days, the presumed health benefits of drinking green tea are growing. Some dental professionals think consuming this beverage can prevent the spread of bacteria and battle inflammation in the mouth. One study suggests drinking at least one cup of green tea every day decreases your odds of losing teeth in the future. This super star of beverages can be purchased in most grocery stores and specialty foods stores.
Avoid Pools with Chlorine
Do you frequently swim in pools that are treated with chlorine? If you enjoy utilizing this type of pool, you may be putting the enamel on your teeth at risk. The reason for this anomaly stems from the acid levels in chlorine.
If the chlorine levels in the pools you visit aren't monitored properly, they may contain dangerous amounts of acid. In order to enjoy a favorite summer pastime without damaging your tooth enamel, keep your mouth shut while in the water. Also, inquire with the manager of your pool about its acidity levels. You may also want to look for nearby pools that are protected with substances besides chlorine.
Heal Your Heartburn
Do you often battle heartburn? Some people who experience heartburn vomit occasionally. At the very least, they may experience the feeling of food seeping up from their throats. Because of the acid associated with this problem, heartburn can be treacherous on your tooth enamel.
Healing your heartburn will protect your teeth from further damage. Some natural ways to banish heartburn include:
- Chewing on a stick of sugarless chewing gum
- Drinking an 8 ounce glass of non-fat milk
- Quitting smoking|
- Wearing loose fitting clothing
- Ending late night snacking
- Eating slowly
If you have bright, healthy teeth, you probably want to do everything in your power to keep them that way. To toughen your tooth enamel, try incorporating the aforementioned 5 natural remedies into your dental plan. To learn more about these options, make an appointment with your trusted dental professional today.
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