Spring Cleaning For Your Dental Health

If you feel stressed and overly busy, it can feel really difficult to take care of your dental health. Dentist in Portland, Oregon Dr. Joy Arend and her team at East Portland Dentistry encourage patients of all ages to take these simple steps to help improve overall health.

Get Rid Of Take Out

If you eat packaged foods and regularly visit restaurants, it might be time to consider eating whole foods at home. Toss out the take-out menus and avoid pulling last-minute frozen dinner from the freezer. Packaged foods and take out meals are filled with sodium, fat, and calories; it’s best to avoid them and find healthier alternatives.

The basics to any meal include a protein source like beans, eggs, or meat and a serving of both vegetables and fruits. Add a small serving a starch on the side, but choose a whole food like a baked yam or brown rice. This will help the meal feel well-rounded and provide great nutritional value.

Eat More Avocados

It is spring, and avocados are in season, they are one of the best foods you can add into your diet. Avocados are creamy and full of fiber so they can help you feel full faster. They also contain healthy fat.

Avocados are nutritional powerhouses with many benefits. They have protein, vitamin E and monosaturated fat, and have been known to help lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure. Avocados can reduce inflammation in the body, which can help prevent gum disease.

Incorporate Quinoa

Quinoa is protein-based food that is sometimes confused with a grain because of its hearty consistency. It is actually a green from the grass family, and is easy to mix with many other ingredients. Quinoa is a staple that is extremely high in protein and should be in your diet for two reasons: eating more greens can help improve your oral health and the vitamins and minerals found in quinoa can help strengthen your teeth.

Eat Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are black and white seeds are similar to poppy seeds. You can find them in any health food store and are known as a powerful ingredient to add into your diet.

Chia seeds have omega-3 in them, which is good for your heart and circulation. They provide a boost of powerful energy into your body. They are loaded with fiber, which will help you feel full longer. Chia seeds can regulate your blood sugar and help you release carbohydratess at a slow conversion rate.

Eating healthier can help you have healthier teeth, along with visiting the dentist. Schedule an appointment with Portland dentist Dr. Joy Arend at 503-253-0226.