Constantly improving one’s oral health is important, and adds to a good appearance and quality of life. Healthy mouth, teeth and gums will be free of bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease; all part of what cause dental issues and pose potential medical complications as a person gets older.
Natural treatments are highly effective means of caring for the body and the teeth are no exception. Naturally caring for your teeth by snacking on fruits is not a new subject but apples have gotten a bad reputation when it comes to the effects it is believed to have on the teeth.
Importance of Maintaining Oral Health
Medically speaking, oral health is one of the easiest ways to care for oneself. Simply following a well-defined schedule for dental care both in the morning and at night is all that is usually required. When oral health is maintained, you slow down the process of tooth decay in the future and there is very little chance of developing oral diseases such as gingivitis.
Oral health can only be maintained when you already have a healthy mouth, teeth and gums in the first place. Before beginning to eat apples as a natural means of caring for your mouth, it is important to first ensure that it is in great condition. Tiger Smile Dental is a team of dental care professionals who are highly skilled in oral health care.
Apple Fibre for Healthy Teeth and Gums
Apart from caring for the teeth, apples are outstanding sources of dietary fibre, low in calories and useful for blood sugar regulation. Apples are certainly great for your teeth and maintaining your overall oral health. Eaten properly, an apple can actually be a great way to naturally care for your teeth and keep them healthy. The fibre-rich fruit works to remove plaque and stains from the teeth as you eat. Food residue left over in the mouth can be removed by eating an apple as a post-meal snack. This further helps to reduce the amount of plaque and tartar deposit along the enamels of your teeth and gum line.
Certainly, eating an apple is not quite the same thing as brushing your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste but it can certainly help. Apples are acidic, and this means they contain chemicals that can act as astringents to effectively clean the teeth and brighten your smile. The chemical could also help to get rid of plaque on the teeth and clean pathogens from the mouth.
Bad breath, which is characteristic of poor dental hygiene can be gotten rid of naturally by using apples. The mildly tangy smell of apples can help freshen stale breath and make mouth odour less unpleasant to those around. Apple is a fibre-rich fruit and chewing on an apple with the skin on can act as a scrub on the tongue and mouth palates, further serving to remove bad breath.
How to Eat Apples for Natural Oral Health
If you are going to be eating apples as a daily natural treatment for your teeth and gums, it is important to go about it the right way. Dental care professional at Tiger Smile Dental, Dr. Luong believes that it is “important to properly rinse your mouth with clean water after each meal or snack for better results”.
It is important to understand that certain measures must be taken to protect your teeth while eating apples and indeed all fruits with significant levels of acidity in them. Therefore, do not chew an apple for longer than is necessary. Leaving the acidic elements of an apple in your mouth will only serve to do more harm than good. While munching on an apple, neutralize the acidity by taking a food rich in calcium such as milk or cheese. As stated earlier, rinse your mouth with water after eating an apple. Quickly swishing water around in your mouth repeatedly will help flush your mouth while retaining the helpful results of the apple.
Improving your oral health naturally through the use of apple fibre does not negate the importance of practicing good oral care habits such as flossing, brushing your teeth twice daily, using a mouthwash and visiting the dentist at least every three months to ensure that your oral health is in order.