The staff at Craig Donn Dentistry and dental implants Cherry Hill, NJ dentist Dr. Donn want to inform you about one of the easiest ways to care for your dental implants; your diet. Our dental implant patients here at Craig Donn Dentistry often approach staff members after the process of implantation has been completed seeking tips on how to care for their new smiles. Those of our patients having to finance their own dental implants are especially interesting in gaining as many helpful hints as possible.
Regardless of whether you or your insurance is financing your dental implant treatment, keeping them strong and healthy is in your best interest. The foundation for a long dental implant life is good oral hygiene and a healthy jawbone. That being said, we have decided to throw together a list of a few things you may not have known could have a huge impact on the health of your mouth and bones: Food! So, if you are interested in covering all the bases on your journey to extended dental implant success, then please read on.
Vegetables and Fruit; Eat More!
Believe us when we say that we are not taking this as a chance to lecture you on you diet. Everyone knows that fruits and veggies are good for them. However, what everyone may not know it that they are extremely good for the health of your teeth and gums as well.
Fruits and veggies contain something called fiber. Fiber is a natural facilitator of saliva production in the mouth. So when you eat these yummy foods, your mouth isn’t just watering because they taste so good.
Saliva is your mouth’s natural defense against bacteria. Too many bacteria in the mouth can affect a person’s oral hygiene in a not so positive way. However, what saliva can actually do is amazing. It holds some of the bacteria in your mouth in a type of temporary prison. When you swallow, the bacteria that was being held in the saliva prison goes down with it. From there it is sent into your digestive tract, which does a remarkably better job of effectively dealing with bacteria than your mouth and gums do. A clean mouth means happy dental implants. So the next time you are feeling the urge to snack, skip the chips and grab an apple or a carrot instead. Your dental implants, as well as your natural teeth and gums, will thank you.
Calcium Rich Foods
As stated above, another major factor in the success and elongated life of your dental implant is the health of your jawbone. As its name suggested, your jawbone is, indeed, a bone. Calcium is a vitamin known to improve the health and strength of your bones.
Dairy products like cheese, milk and yogurt pack a powerful calcium punch. Simply adding a glass of low-fat milk to your daily routine may improve and help sustain the health of your jawbone, as well as other bones in your body. The occasional indulgence in a nicely arranged cheese platter should not be passed up either. Just be aware that of all the foods on this list, cheese of the most fattening. That’s why we labeled in an indulgence.
If you happen to be lactose intolerant, don’t fret. Calcium can be found in a variety of other, non-dairy, foods as well. Broccoli, Bok Choy, Collard Greens and White Beans are just a few non-dairy foods that sport an impressive calcium content. Calcium can also be taken in the form of a daily vitamin as well. Really, the options for getting more calcium into your daily diet are endless. Regardless of how you do it, your teeth and dental implants will thank you.
Until next time guys, eat some veggies, get some calcium and keep smiling.