Calcium and Phosphate minerals help to make up tooth enamel, along with the dentin and bone. These minerals prevent cavities and tooth decay. With age, the content of these minerals in your teeth starts decreasing. Also, they can be in little quantity if you eat a lot of acidic and sugary foods. It happens, when harmful bacteria start growing in your mouth. It causes other problems such as tooth decay, bad breath, cavities, etc.
Once the tooth enamel and bone are gone, there is no way to bring it back. All you can do is get your tooth replaced by an artificial one. But you can keep the bone strength and tooth enamel by changing lifestyles, natural home remedies, etc. before you have tooth decay. It is known as Remineralization.
Natural Ways to Strengthen Teeth
Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is done using edible oil, especially coconut oil. You have to swish it in your mouth for 15 to 20 minutes. It is recommended because it protects your mouth from harmful bacteria and plaque. Oil pulling pulls out the harmful bacteria from your mouth and removes the plaque stuck on your teeth. Bacteria and plaque cause bad breath, yellow teeth, tooth decay, etc.
When bacteria settle on your teeth, it produces acid that corrodes the enamel on your teeth. Then it exposes the vulnerable dentin layer underneath the enamel. Oil pulling removes bacteria and keeps your teeth strong.
Brush Your Teeth
To remove bacteria, brushing teeth is important. Cavities, also known as dental caries are caused by Streptococcus Mutans bacteria in your mouth. Brushing your teeth helps you to remove plaque. If plaque is removed, it means it won’t react to produce bacteria or acids.
If you brush your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes and floss your teeth once a day, then you can keep your teeth strong.
Use Fluoride Toothpaste
Not every toothpaste works against demineralization. Fluoride toothpaste is recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA). The toothpaste does not get the ADA seal of acceptance unless it is having fluoride.
Using fluoride toothpaste makes your teeth less susceptible to future mineral loss. Hence, it prevents tooth decay and strengthens your teeth.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking water helps you to flush the food debris and bacteria away from your gums and teeth. Also, it helps to dilute the acid produced by bacteria in your mouth. A dry mouth increases the risk of tooth decay because harmful bacteria and plaque start settling on your teeth.
To strengthen your teeth, drink water daily. It will promote saliva production that washes away bacteria. Beneficial minerals in saliva keep your teeth strong.
Don’t Snack
Snacking on carbs for the day is not good for your dental health. A consistent supply of food gives birth to bacteria in your mouth. If the bacteria are well-fed, it will produce more acid to weaken the tooth enamel. Also, it gives our digestive systems a break and time to rejuvenate.
If you are willing to snack, make sure that you are consuming carb-free snacks and you rinse your mouth after eating them. You can use water or mouth wash to rinse your mouth. It will dilute the sugar and help the saliva to buffer the acids. It will keep the strength of teeth naturally.
Eat Mineral Rich Foods
Teeth are porous. They tend to lose or gain beneficial minerals. Make sure that your teeth are receiving the required minerals in more quantity than they are losing them. This process is known as remineralization.
Mineral-rich foods that you can consume to keep your teeth healthy are:
- Eggs
- Organic Bone Broth
- Grass-Fed Meats and Poultry
- Mushrooms
- Dark Leafy Greens like Kale, Broccoli, Spinach
- Himalayan Salt
- Cheese
Removal of Refined Sugar
Sugar is the main source of harmful bacteria in your mouth. It produces acid that causes tooth decay. Also, sugar consumption causes many health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, cancers, etc. If you are a sugar lover, then you must remove it from your diet.
Removal of refined sugar from the diet helps you to reduce the bacteria food supply. Hence, you will be able to protect your teeth from cavities, tooth decay, and harmful bacteria. Removing refined sugar from your diet helps you to keep your teeth strong.
Removal of Grains
Grains, seeds, and nuts contain a substance known as phytic acid. It impairs the absorption of beneficial minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, etc. To avoid tooth decaying and other dental problems, you should be eating grains when they are fermented. It will help you to strengthen your teeth naturally.
Consume Fat-Soluble Vitamins Foods
Foods that are high in Vitamins A, D, E, and K2 are vital in improving the health of your teeth. Vitamin D in foods helps to the absorption of phosphorus and calcium. K2 makes sure that calcium is going to your teeth and bones.
Consumption of supplements having large doses of fat-soluble vitamins causes toxicity. To keep your teeth strong, use the dosage guidelines recommended by your dentist.
Decrease Dairy Products Consumption
Dairy products are a natural source of calcium but the lactose in traditional milk is not good for your healthy teeth. It increases the acidity in your mouth because lactose is a type of sugar. If you want to take an advantage of calcium consumption from dairy products like milk, then you should choose lactose-free milk. Almond or soy milk are the best alternatives for lactose-free milk.
Consumption of Fruit and Fruit Juices
Fruit is a part of a healthy and balanced diet. On the other side, they can be highly acidic. Citrus fruits such as oranges and grapes are highly acidic. The acid in the fruits promotes the process of calcium chelation on tooth enamel. This process binds the calcium away from the teeth.
Having fruit juices can also be acidic and bad for your healthy teeth. It is not that you should not consume fruits giving you vitamins, phosphorus, calcium, etc. but you should consume them moderately. Moderate consumption of fruits and their juices will strengthen your teeth.
Improve digestion
If your gut health is not good, it means it is hindering the absorption of minerals and nutrients. You might be eating healthy food but it is not properly absorbed. It means remineralization of your teeth is not good. Factors that affect the absorption of minerals and vitamins are due to stress, alcohol, amalgam fillings, medications, etc.
To increase the absorption of Vitamins A, D, E, and K, try consuming healthy fats with each meal. Also, eat probiotic rich foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, kombucha, etc. When your digestion is improved, your body starts absorbing minerals and vitamins that will aid to strengthen your teeth naturally.
Chew Sugar-Free Gum
Saliva is having beneficial minerals that keep your teeth strong. If you are having a dry mouth all the time, then chewing sugar-free gum promotes the production of saliva that promotes healthy teeth. After snacks or meals, when brushing your teeth is not an available option, you can chew gum. It is a great substitute for brushing.
Chewing sugar-free gum will help you to increase saliva production. Saliva dilutes the acidic effect caused by harmful bacteria. Also, it removes food debris from your teeth and gums. Hence, you will be able to keep your teeth strong.
Remineralization – Strong Teeth
Strengthening your teeth can be done by natural and home remedies. It is all about consuming healthy foods, brushing and flossing your teeth, oil pulling, using fluoride toothpaste, etc. These natural remedies can be easily done at home if you care about the health of your teeth. If still, these remedies are not working for you, you can consult your dentist!