With ‘fibremaxxing’ emerging as a standout trend ahead of National Nutrition Month in March – and Google searches for fibre rising by 33% to over 1.9 million in the past 90 days in the UK – the trend has seen people loading up on whole grains, fruits and vegetables to boost their fibre intake.
While fibre is best known for its digestive benefits, Miranda Pascucci, Head of Clinical Education and Dental Therapist at TePe, reveals that increasing fibre intake could also have an unexpected positive impact on oral health, helping to stimulate saliva flow and protect teeth and gums.
Miranda explains: “Fibre-rich foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, require more chewing, which stimulates saliva flow.
“Saliva is essential because it neutralises acids produced by bacteria, washes away food particles, and delivers minerals like calcium and phosphate that help protect and remineralise teeth.
“This process helps maintain a healthy oral environment and prevents enamel erosion.”
Miranda adds that fibre-rich diets can help to reduce sugar consumption, one of the biggest drivers of tooth decay.
“When meals are more filling and fibre-rich, people are often less likely to graze on sugary snacks throughout the day. It’s the frequent snacking which causes fuels decay and plaque build-up.
“From my experience, a balanced diet, with plenty of fibre, reduces a person’s reliance on sugary snacks which leads to a lowered risk of tooth decay and gum disease.”
Fibre rich foods can act as natural cleaners
“Raw vegetables like carrots and celery, fruits like apples and pears, whole grains such as brown rice and oats, and nuts and seeds can all act as natural cleaners.
“Their crunchy, coarse textures gently scrub the tooth surfaces as we chew, stimulating saliva and gently dislodging food particles.”
However, Miranda stresses that after eating any food, even those high in fibre, it is essential to follow a ‘three minute clean’ rule to maintain healthy teeth cleaning habits:
“High fibre foods are not a substitute for brushing and flossing, and it is important to always practice a three-minute clean routine – two minutes of brushing, followed by one minute of interdental cleaning using floss or a TePe interdental brush to support overall oral health.”
