Proper tooth care is about more than just brushing teeth on a regular basis and visiting the dentist. Those who want good teeth also need to eat foods that will help them grow and maintain strong, healthy teeth. In general, foods that are low in sugar and high in nutrition can help teeth. Here are a few options that are particularly useful for boosting your oral health.

Leafy Greens

Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale have impressively high levels of calcium. This is essential to keeping teeth healthy because when a person has a calcium deficiency, teeth will not develop properly and the bone supporting the teeth will be compromised. Leafy greens are particularly important for vegans since they are one of the main non-plant sources of calcium.

Cheese

Of course one of the most basic reasons that cheese is healthy for the teeth is that it contains calcium, the mineral essential for strengthening teeth. However, cheese is also helpful because of its acidity levels. According to a 2013 study from the General Dentistry Journal, subjects who ate cheese raised the pH levels in their mouth and had a lower risk of tooth decay.

Raisins

Most sticky, sweet treats are bad for the teeth, but raisins are the exception to this rule. Raisins that do not have added sugars (sucrose) will not promote decay. Another benefit of eating raisins to satisfy a sweets craving is that they are a great source of phytochemicals. These compounds help to impair bacterial growth.

Carrots

Carrot sticks are a tooth-healthy snack that comes with many benefits. When people crunch on raw carrots, the stiff fibers in the carrots act as a natural toothbrush. Eating them after a meal can help to disturb the plaque that sticks to teeth otherwise. Carrots are also a great source of vitamin A, so they help to encourage healthy gums.

Almonds

Almonds have a truly impressive amount of enamel-strengthening calcium in them. Like carrots, almonds are nice and crunchy, so they help to push plaque away from teeth. At the same time, they have far less sugar than other nuts, so they are not likely to encourage bacterial growth.