Eating some yogurt that does not have much sugar, or is sugarless, on occasion may offer surprising benefits for your mouth. It has some nutrients that can help your teeth and some probiotics that may help prevent cavities and bad breath.
You can find calcium and protein in yogurt. Calcium and protein are good for your enamel, and they can help it stay strong. Of course, you can find these nutrients in other foods too.
One thing yogurt can provide that is fairly unique is probiotics. Probiotics are bacteria that are beneficial to you. When you eat the yogurt, they can make themselves at home inside your mouth and provide competition for the less-beneficial bacteria. Their presence can make it more difficult for the bad bacteria to set up shop and cause cavities and bad breath.
The reason you may want to avoid yogurts with lots of sugar is that bad bacteria can make use of it. They feed off it, which can help them form acids that create cavities. Keeping the sugar down can prevent them from causing problems.
We also encourage you to brush and floss. Eating yogurt or any other kind of healthy food may help, but they are not substitutes for brushing and flossing.
You can also get the help of our dentists, Dr. Steven Ross, who can help you keep your teeth and mouth healthy. You can find them and the rest of our team here at Ross Family Dental in Salinas, California. In order to set up a visit with us, you are welcome to call 831-422-5351, and we will be there for you.