Gardens Help Houston Kids Bunny Hop to Good Dental Health
If too many trips to those Galleria-area candy boutiques is now sending you to your Galleria family dentist, take a lesson from Dr. Rubab Mirza and chase away the dental bunny blues with Peter Cottontail’s favorite garden fresh treats – garden fresh seasonal vegetables, vegetables, and fruits.
Holiday Sweets Mean Special Care for Teeth
No matter what spring holiday you celebrate, sugary treats are fun for the family but you should brush soon after eating them to ensure bacteria does not form not matter how old you are. Desserts are the obvious culprit during celebrations, but did you know that pasta and bread can also create dangerous levels of bacteria in the mouth?
Milk and acidic foods also cause problems by eating away at tiny cracks in the enamel and allowing cavities to form in the teeth. This allows cracks in your teeth to widen even more when you bite down.
“Drinking fluoride in your water helps but many people have turned to bottled water without fluoride” Houston’s top family dentist Dr. Mirza says, “but it’s a clever idea to discuss fluoride substitutes for you and your children when you visit your dentist.”
Gardening Inside Houston’s 610 Loop
If you live Inside the Loop, family dentist Dr. Mirza also suggests engaging the entire family in healthier activities related to food such as planting a patio garden — or if you have a full-size yard, go bigger. To plant a patio garden, you will need the following:
- Long clay, plastic, or wooden planter boxes (18-24” long x 4-6” wide).
- Packets of seeds of your choice (one per box such as strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, spinach, onions, sweet potatoes). You can also do kiwis and figs in a 15-gallon container.
- Good natural bagged garden soil.
- Only buy non-toxic sprays and fertilizers!
- Something to mark your pots so you will know what you have planted.
- Something to water with (a bucket or watering can).
- If you have little nibblers in the family they can put on their bunny ears!
What’s Good for Teeth from the Garden?
- Strawberries taste like candy and they also whiten teeth if you rinse after.
- Spinach and other leafy are high in vitamins and minerals, plus they have phosphorus which is good for bones and teeth.
- Carrots have vitamin A which builds tooth enamel, Dr. Mirza says. Chewing raw carrots removes plaque from your teeth and the chewing action produces extra saliva which supports dental health.
- Raw onions have many anti-bacterial compounds, removing oral bacteria with every bite. While they might give you bad breath, raw onions do a lot to remove bacteria and improve oral health.
- Kiwis are exceptional for dental health due to their large amount of Vitamin C. This helps you develop a natural collagen that is vital for the the health of your gums, according to Dr. Mirza.
- Sweet potatoes are another good one for your teeth due to their vitamin D content. This is a vital nutrient that develops naturally with healthy sun exposure. Unfortunately, in Houston, where the weather is often dangerously hot, people stay inside. Dr. Mirza says the vitamin D from sweet potatoes is crucial to healthy skin, heart and teeth, and a smart choice for dental health.
Visit Naba Dental 77057 Near the Galleria for Family Dentist Tips
Join the Naba Family Dental Explorers Club free at Dentist 77507 and get your free family dental tips and tricks. You’ll also get a complementary checkup for kids under 12 plus a free Brite Smile check-up for all adults. It is just our way of saying welcome. You will get Naba’s monthly free tips and tricks newsletter and twice annual checkup. Plus, all kids get coloring pages, and education modules to help them learn better dental care for life. Located by the Galleria, book your dental appointment with Houston’s top dentist Dr. Rhubab Mirza, call 346-571- 7254
