Juice Smarter Hampshire: Your Teeth Will Thank You

JUICING IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR

 health fads right now, but how does it affect your smile?

Juices Can Be Tough On Teeth

Many juices contain high amounts of acid and sugar that can compromise healthy teeth. Frequently drinking juices with overly acidic and sugary ingredients can begin to wear away the enamel of our teeth, putting us at greater risk for cavities.

But don’t fret—you don’t need to throw away your juicer just yet! There are a variety of simple ways to make your juices healthier and still taste great.

Choose Ingredients That Strengthen Your Smile

Make your juices healthier by considering some of these options:

• Add more leafy greens! Leafy greens help build strong bones and strong teeth because they are high in calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Greens won’t spike your blood sugar like sugary fruits and vegetables will.
• Use fruit sparingly and when you do, be sure to use ripe fruits. Unripe fruits tend to have more acid than ripened ones.
• Add a teaspoon of coconut oil. Coconut oil, amongst other amazing properties, contains antibacterial properties that are great for your teeth! You don’t have to worry about coconut oil clumping in your cold smoothie if it is done correctly. True, coconut oil does solidify when cold, and just might form stubborn little clumps when added to cold drinks, but you just need to outsmart it. All you do is melt the oil (gently, making sure it isn’t hot, as warm smoothies aren’t very nice) and while the blender is whirling your delicious smoothie into creamy goodness, slowly pour in the coconut oil into a steady stream. The oil will disappear into your drink and leave you with a wonderful coconutty taste and creamy froth to top it off.
• Add cranberry juice! Amongst numerous vitamins and nutrients, fresh cranberries have compounds that keep cavity-causing bacteria from sticking to your teeth. So, to add nutrients and teeth-protecting properties, simply add a splash of cranberry juice to your recipe.
• Steer clear from highly pigmented foods. Fruits and vegetables that are strongly pigmented can potentially stain your teeth. Examples of these foods are dark berries and beets.

What you put into your juices is the important thing to keep in mind when juicing. Ask yourself when adding ingredients: Does this add nutrients to my juice? Will my teeth benefit from this or not? Is there too much sugar or acid in this ingredient?

We Care About Your Whole Body Health

By being mindful and aware of the ingredients you add to your juices, you can begin making smart decisions for not only your teeth but your overall health. If you have any questions about how the juices you enjoy affect your teeth, feel free to schedule an appointment to see us or leave a comment below!

Thank you for reading our blog and being our valued patient and friend!

Image by Flickr user Rob Bertholf used underCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.