Health Information

The Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth

If you are what you eat, that's particularly true for your teeth and gums. When you drink and munch starchy or sugary foods, you're not only feeding yourself, you're feeding the plaque that can cause havoc in your mouth.



The good guys

  • Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. Foods with fiber have a detergent effect in your mouth, says the American Dental Association (ADA). They also stimulate saliva flow, which, next to good home dental care, is your best natural defense against cavities and gum disease. About 20 minutes after you eat something containing sugars or starches, your saliva begins to neutralize the acids and enzymes attacking your teeth. Because saliva contains traces of calcium and phosphate, it also restores minerals to areas of teeth that have lost them from the bacterial acids.

  • Cheese, milk, plain yogurt, and other dairy products. Cheese is another saliva generator. The calcium in cheese, and the calcium and phosphates in milk and other dairy products, help put back minerals your teeth might have lost due to other foods.


  • Sugarless chewing gum. This is another great saliva generator that removes food particles from your mouth.


The bad guys

  • Sticky candies and sweets. If you eat sweets, go for those that clear out of your mouth quickly. So thumbs down for lollipops, caramels, and cough drops that contain refined sugar. Note: Effects of chocolate on preventing cavities have been widely touted (largely by studies funded by the candy industry), but not conclusively proven. Cacao (70 percent) does have some health benefits. Some studies have shown chocolate to be not as bad as other sugary treats.



  • Substances that dry out your mouth. These include alcohol and many medicines. If medications are the cause, consider talking to your health care provider about getting a fluoride rinse, or a fluoride gel with which to brush your teeth.

Eat for a healthy mouth


  • Consume sugary foods with meals. Your mouth produces more saliva during meals, and this helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth.

  • Limit between-meal snacks. If you crave a snack, choose something nutritious. Consider chewing sugarless gum afterward to increase saliva flow and wash out food and acid.


  • Brush your teeth twice and floss once a day.