Drink your milk! How many of us immediately revert to childhood memories of sitting around the dinner table with mom and dad upon hearing these words? What if, instead, our moms had insisted, “Eat your cheese!”? I imagine we’d all have fonder dinnertime memories, for one.
Well, it turns out Mom would have been doing us all a great favor if she’d been a little more generous with the cheese. Evidence indicates that eating cheese is beneficial for your teeth because it is low in carbohydrates and high in calcium and phosphate. Research over the past decade suggests that cheese is not only an excellent source of calcium, which (as we all know) strengthens bones and teeth, but can also help balance the acidity levels (pH) in your mouth preventing decay.
Be Strong
While dairy products are chock full of bone-strengthening calcium, cheese goes the extra mile by coating your teeth with calcium. A single cube of cheese can increase plaque-calcium concentration by more than 100 percent! This coating aids in hardening and remineralizing teeth, which protects against cavities.
Keep the Balance
Cheese not only acts as a delicious source of calcium, but it goes another step in fighting dental caries by balancing the pH levels in your mouth. When starchy or sugary foods and drinks are consumed acids are produced, causing pH levels to drop. A low pH level encourages demineralization, softening teeth and making them vulnerable to decay. Once again, cheese steps in to save the day! Studies show that eating cheese helps maintain a safer pH level for your teeth.
It’s Gouda for You!
What’s your favorite kind of cheese? Is it cheddar, Swiss, blue, Monterrey Jack, brie, Gouda, or American? It’s been shown that just about any variety provides benefits to your oral health, so bring on the cheese and smile pretty!
Don’t forget to brush and floss regularly. Teeth cannot live on cheese alone.