Immensely hot sunny days are here. And while it’s easy to think that the best way to beat this weather is by grabbing sugary cold treats, remember that these may not always be the best for your teeth. This is why we’ve made it easy for you and listed down some easy-to-prepare summer treats that will not only cool you down, but also help maintain the health of your mouth.
- Frozen apples and kiwi. This one cannot get easier to prepare. Just cut up these babies and throw them in the freezer for at least an hour. Oh, you might want to put a bit of lime or calamansi juice on the apples to keep them from turning brown. Apples and kiwis are high in fiber. What this means is they help clean the teeth as they’re eaten. Kiwi also has high calcium content which strengthens teeth, while apples help fight bad breath by removing traces of plaque and bad residue from the back of the tongue.
- Yoghurt fruit salad. Mix Greek yoghurt with a little bit of honey. Toss together with your favorite summer fruits and keep in the fridge for about 2 hours before enjoying. Greek yoghurt is filled with calcium, casein and protein, substances that help build stronger enamel and teeth.
- Get one from the supermarket, cut it up and store in the fridge or put in a bowl with ice to enjoy. The amount of fiber in a watermelon not only helps clean the teeth, its water content also helps trigger saliva production, which protects the mouth from all sorts of nasties. But that’s not all. Watermelon is also high in vitamin c, which helps prevent gum diseases.
- Banana-kiwi-strawberry-orange smoothie. 1 cup of banana, 1/2 cup of kiwi, 1 cup of strawberries, ½ cup of oranges and ½ cup of your preferred berry. Put it all in a blender, add about 8 ounces of plain Greek yoghurt and you’re done. This concoction is great for the gums because of the vitamin content of all the ingredients. For maximum pleasure, make sure all your fruits are frozen so you get a really nice, cold smoothie.
- Pineapple-banana-orange-mango-peach smoothie. 1 whole peach, 2/3 of a whole pineapple, 1 banana, 1 orange and half a mango. You can add a bit of honey for extra sweetness or some Greek yoghurt for a creamier consistency. Pineapple is rich in manganese, a trace mineral which helps build strong bones and teeth. One serving of this smoothie is enough to provide you with manganese supply for a whole day. And oh! It’s also rich in Vitamin C, which is great for the overall health of your mouth.
The treats mentioned in this article are meant to help reduce the possibility of damage to your oral health while helping you enjoy the best of summer. These do not, however, replace regular brushing or other treatments provided by oral health professionals. In other words, go and make sure you still see your dentist regularly. And if you don’t have a regular dentist yet, remember that you can always contact Beduya Dental at (02) 354-5388 to set up an appointment.
