Pumpkin in its natural form is extremely beneficial for your oral health. Even though some will drink coffees made of pumpkin, they will not get all of the benefits provided by it. To get all the benefits, you need to eat spoonfuls of it.
You have to do it to preserve the health of your mouth. Do not buy pumpkin just on Halloween to crave it into a spooky creature, but also buy it all year around so you can get the benefits associated with it.
How Will Eating Pumpkin Benefit Your Oral Health?
If you think drinking pumpkin latte will provide you with good oral health, you are mistaken, as all it contains is loads of sugar, which can lead to tooth decay. However, that does not mean that you cannot drink pumpkin in your favorite form.
You can still come up with creative ways to get your daily dose of pumpkin, which we will tell you about later. Pumpkin is packed with vitamins that will do wonders for both your physical and oral health. Pumpkin will provide your body and mouth with the following benefits:
- Zinc- Zinc has the ability to heal wounds. People suffering from gum disease, which causes their gums to bleed, the zinc will work to make the gums stronger to prevent the bleeding. In addition, zinc is an active ingredient in several toothpastes due to its ability to fight plague.
- Vitamin A- Vitamin A increases the production of saliva in the mouth. People diagnosed with dry mouth should include pumpkin in their diet. Dry mouth causes the production of saliva to slow down and your mouth needs saliva to cleanse it off bacteria. Another function of Vitamin A is to heal soft tissues.
- Vitamin C- Vitamin C makes the immune stronger. The stronger your immune system, the better your chances are of fighting infections. Since the bacteria in your mouth can cause infection, the presence of Vitamin C in your system is important.
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Magnesium- Magnesium works together with calcium to provide your enamel with a layer of protection against tooth decay. If your system does not have the proper quantities of magnesium in it, the risk of contracting cavities will increase.
- Fiber- Pumpkins are rich in fiber. You need to fiber to maintain your oral and physical health. Fiber has several benefits such as helping you to keep your weight in check, stimulate the production of saliva, and keeping your mouth and body in fighting shape.
Try Eating Pumpkin in the Following Ways
In order to improve and maintain your oral health, you can consume pumpkin in the following ways:
- Smoothie
- Seeds
- Baked
- Seed oil
You can bake pumpkin pie at home and cook your food using pumpkin oil. You can whip up a health pumpkin smoothie to go with your healthy snack or dinner. When you are out and about, you can snack on pumpkin seeds.
Check out our blog for more tips and information about oral care. You can visit Village Park Family Dental to consult with one of our dentists.