Six superfoods for your smile

When it comes to dental health, there’s an air of mystery around which foods do us good, and those that do us harm.  We all know sugar can cause tooth decay, but what about the natural sugars in fruit?  And are there any foods than contain ingredients that help prevent tooth decay?  The following superfoods are packed full of the kinds of food that keep your teeth white, healthy and strong.

Spinach – Rich in Vitamin K which is great for bone health.  Whip up a batch of spinach soup, add to homemade quiche or mix some into your pasta.

Pomegranate – Research has shown that pomegranate extracts can have an antibacterial effect against dental plaque.  Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over a lamb tagine, try a refreshing pomegranate juice or bejewel your salad with pomegranate seeds.

Cheese – Contains high levels of calcium and phosphorous, which both help to prevent tooth decay due to aiding remineralisation.  Make a mozzarella and tomato salad, crumble feta over a Greek salad or add halloumi to grilled kebabs.

Nuts – A great source of calcium and phosphorus, which are the minerals needed in order for teeth remineralisation to take place.  Knock up a pear and walnut salad, add cashew nuts to your stir fry or go for a nut roast instead of meat.

Apples – Firm and crunchy so eating them encourages saliva production, which helps to prevent tooth decay.  Toss apples into your salad, crunch on an apple for your mid-morning snack or add to your cheese board.

Celery – Firm and crunchy so helps to scrub your teeth, as well as stimulate the flow of saliva which washes away bacteria.  Make a classic Waldorf salad, dip some celery sticks in hummus or slather some nut butter on celery sticks.