Say cheese when it comes to your dental health

If you are said to have a cheesy smile, it’s not thought to be a compliment. Yet according to recent dental studies, cheese may just be the key ingredient to healthy teeth and a healthy smile as it can offer protection from acid erosion—the breakdown of enamel brought on by coffee, tea, wine, soda, and other similar drinks.

According to Academy of General Dentistry study, our mouths naturally have a slightly acidic pH. When we ingest things like coffee, soda, tea, etc. the pH level sinks even lower, potentially damaging the tooth enamel. Cheese dairy products, consumed shortly after or with these acidic food products create saliva. The saliva then acts as a neutralizing agent, restoring and even elevating the pH levels in our mouths.

Of course, the easiest way to protect your teeth from excess amounts of acids is to not drink soda, coffee, tea or any other thing that causes acid build-up. For most of us, that’s not terribly realistic. Fortunately, we’re learning more and more ways to minimize the impact of these acids. It certainly gives new meaning to cheesy smile and just saying cheese.

Cheese is not the only dairy product that has this impact. While cheese can restore and elevate pH levels for 30 minutes after consumption, milk and yogurt can have the same impact but for just 10 minutes.

Beyond creating saliva, cheese also contains teeth-strengthening casein phosphate. So cheese has the dual benefit of strengthening teeth and sustaining the color of your teeth.

The beauty of eating cheese for oral health is that you don’t have to eat a whole block of cheese to get this benefit. About a third of a slice of cheese creates enough saliva to minimize the acidity from a glass of wine you might have with dinner, especially if you nibble occasionally on the cheese during the course of your meal.

So when it comes to taking care of your teeth, just say cheese.