Keeping Your Teeth Healthy on HWN FAN COLUMN

Regular brushing and flossing help keep teeth healthy by getting rid of sugars and food particles that team up with bacteria to form plaque. Plaque produces acid that damages tooth enamel, causes cavities and sets the stage for periodontal, or gum, disease.
Now, a growing body of research is finding that certain foods may be good for teeth, too. Just as so-called "functional foods" may keep your heart healthy, others may promote oral health.

Here are teeth-friendly foods that show promise.

TEA
Compounds called polyphenols, found in black and green teas, slow the growth of bacteria associated with cavities and gum disease. Researchers found that people who rinsed their mouths with black tea for one minute, 10 times a day, had less plaque buildup on their teeth than people who rinsed their mouths with water. What's more, the size and stickness of their plaque was reduced.
Tea undermines the ability of some bacteria to clump together with other bacteria, the researchers said.
Black tea, fights halitosis, or bad breath. Polyphenols suppress the genes of bacteria that control the production of smelly compounds in the mouth.

CHEESE
Research published in the journal General Dentistry earlier this year reported that 12- to 15-year-olds who ate cheddar cheese had lower acid levels in their mouths than those who ate sugar-free yogurt or drank a glass of milk.
After eating the foods, the adolescents and teens rinsed their mouths with water. The acid, or pH, levels in their mouths were then measured 10, 20 and 30 minutes after rinsing. Those who drank milk or ate yogurt showed no change in their pH levels, but the cheese eaters had a rapid drop at each measurement interval.
Cheese may neutralize the plaque acid. What's more, chewing increases saliva production. Like a river, saliva washes out some of the bacteria in the mouth.

RAISINS
Naturally sweet, raisins don't contain sucrose, or table sugar. Sugar helps bacteria stick to the tooth surface, letting them produce plaque. Raisins are also a source of phytochemicals, which may kill cavity-causing plaque bacteria. Some compounds in raisins also affect the growth of bacteria associated with gum disease.

CRUNCHY FOODS
It takes serious chewing to break down foods such as carrots, apples and cucumbers. But all that crunching isn't in vain. Chewing may disturb dental plaque, and serve as a cleansing mechanism. So instead of remaining in your mouth and settling on teeth, bacteria get cleared
away.
VITAMIN RICH FOODS
Foods containing calcium — such as cheese, almonds and leafy greens — and foods high in phosphorous — such as meat, eggs and fish — can help keep tooth enamel strong and healthy.
Acidic foods and beverages may cause tiny lesions on tooth enamel. Calcium and phosphate help redeposit minerals back into those lesions. Calcium is also good for bones, including your jaw.

SUGARLESS GUM
Pop a stick in your mouth after eating. Chewing boosts saliva secretion, clearing away some bacteria. The keyword here is "sugarless." Bacteria rely on sucrose to produce plaque.

MILK
Milk neutralizes some of the acid produced by plaque bacteria. Adding milk to cereal doesn't have the same benefit, however. The milk becomes syrupy and sweet, which is bad for teeth. Drinking a glass of milk after eating a sweet dessert, like chocolate cake, may protect teeth, too.  

[HWN/Dr. Oyeyemi Olusegun Adeniyi]