How to Remineralize Your Teeth: Can Natural Remedies Help?

Practicing Good Oral Hygiene

Brush your teeth twice a day with an ADA-approved fluoride toothpaste. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and a circular motion to remove any built-up food from your teeth. The best times to brush are in the morning after you wake up and in the evening before you go to bed. Don’t brush your teeth more than 3 times per day. Brush your tongue as well. The bacteria here could re-infect your teeth right after you finish brushing.

Floss once a day to remove food from between your teeth. Food can hide in-between your teeth where your brush can’t reach. Make sure you floss once a day to get these hard-to-reach spots. Don’t use toothpicks or other picking methods as a substitute for flossing. These aren’t as effective and could damage your teeth.

Rinse with an ADA-approved mouthwash to kill remaining bacteria. This isn’t required, but using a fluoride mouthwash after you brush can improve your oral health further. Never swallow mouthwash. Always spit it all out.

Chew ADA-approved sugarless gum to keep saliva flowing. Good saliva flow is very important for cleaning and mineralizing your teeth. You can promote saliva flow by chewing sugarless gum occasionally, especially after eating acidic or sugary foods. Don’t substitute regular gum for sugarless gum. Non-ADA-approved gums can damage your teeth.

Visit your dentist every 6 months for a cleaning. Even if you brush every day, some plaque will still build up on your teeth. This is why visiting your dentist for a cleaning every 6 months is important.

Quit smoking if you do. Smoking significantly damages your teeth and overall health. Either quit or don’t start in the first place.

Following the Right Diet

Eat calcium-rich foods to bring nutrients to your teeth. Calcium is the main nutrient that protects and mineralizes your teeth. Good sources include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, soybeans, and oily fish. You could also take a calcium supplement if you aren’t getting enough from your regular diet.

Boost your vitamin D intake to strengthen your teeth. Vitamin D helps your body absorb and process calcium, so include plenty of this nutrient in your diet as well. Good sources of vitamin D include oily fish, milk, eggs, beef and poultry, bananas, and fortified cereals.

Eat fiber-rich foods to clean your gums. You don’t often think about fiber for your oral health, but it helps clean your mouth and also stimulates saliva flow. Get fiber from beans, leafy green vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grain products.

Limit the number of citrus foods you eat. While they’re very healthy for you, citrusy fruits and vegetables are very acidic and could erode your enamel over time. If you eat them, have them with a meal instead of by themselves. This way, your mouth produces more saliva that will wash away any acids. Acidic fruits and vegetables include lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruit, melons, and tomatoes. If you do eat citrus fruits, swish water around your mouth right after to neutralize the acid.

Cut processed sugar out of your diet. This is very acidic and can erode your enamel. Avoid candy, desserts, soda, and other sugary products as much as possible. If you want a dessert food, dark chocolate is relatively better. It contains some nutrients and melts easily.

Drink plain water right after eating to neutralize acid. Whenever you eat, even if you have a healthy meal, it’s a good idea to drink water right after. This neutralizes any acids and helps your mouth rinse away food buildup.

Additional Mouthcare Suggestions

Chew xylitol gum to increase mineralization. Xylitol, a synthetic sugar product, helps mineralize teeth. Try chewing an ADA-approved xylitol gum to strengthen your teeth.

Drink tea to kill oral bacteria. Some teas, particularly black and green types, are antibacterial. Drinking a few cups a day can kill harmful bacteria in your mouth and prevent erosion. Some teas are acidic, so rinse your mouth with water after drinking them. Also don’t add any sugar or sweeteners.

Practice oil pulling to improve your dental hygiene. This stimulates saliva production and cleans your teeth. Put a teaspoon of coconut or sesame oil into your mouth and swish it around for 15-20 minutes before spitting it out. Rise your mouth or brush your teeth after you spit the oil out.

Take probiotics to prevent harmful bacteria from building up in your mouth. There is some evidence that probiotic supplements can kill harmful bacteria and improve your oral health.