Cheese is a friend to your oral health for several reasons, says Dr. Berg. First, it is low in carbohydrates, which makes it difficult for the oral bacteria biofilm in the mouth to convert carbohydrates into sugar and acid, the latter of which can contribute to tooth decay. And that’s not all: “Cheese can also help maintain the pH balance in the mouth, which is very important for the maintenance of oral health,” adds Dr. Berg. “When the pH of our mouth becomes unbalanced, especially when it becomes too acidic, the process of tooth decay and cavities formation accelerates.”
Last but not least, cheese contains lots of calcium, a key mineral for the health of your bones and teeth. According to Mayo Clinic guidance, women between the ages of 19 and 50 need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day, while those over 51 should consume around 1,200 milligrams. And while you can certainly find calcium in vegan food sources like tofu, kale, and almonds, cheese packs its fair share of the bone-supporting nutrient. For example, a one-ounce serving of cheddar cheese contains about 204 milligrams, or about 20 percent, of your daily calcium intake.
Now that you know that cheese and oral health go together like peanut butter and jelly, you may be wondering if one variety of cheese beats the other when it comes to dental health. Dr. Berg recommends keeping an eye out for minimally processed cheeses like cottage cheese, ricotta, cream cheese, mascarpone and mozzarella. “Cheese in the form of string cheese is low in fat and carbohydrates, and is usually formed from mozzarella,” he adds. However, Dr. Berg also points out that it’s hard to go wrong with cheese (truer words have never been spoken), so if there’s a particular variety that makes your heart sing, go for it.
One final note: be sure to maintain your oral health by flossing, brushing your teeth, and prioritize your annual dental appointments, too. After all, research has yet to show that cheese can protect you from gingivitis“But hey, a girl can dream.”
What a dietitian thinks about alternative cheeses:
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