What’s the first thing you notice after you eat spinach? Is it that your muscles grow to ten times the size like Popeye? Nope? Perhaps you immediately notice that your teeth feel extremely funny. Sort of as if they’ve been coated with chalk or some other not-at-all-slick substance. If so, you might start wondering if spinach is good for your oral health or bad. We can clear up the confusion (and help you understand what’s happening) with a quick series of questions and answers.
Questions and Answers
Question: Is it normal for my teeth to feel so funny after I eat spinach?
Answer: It’s entirely normal! This happens because of something called oxalic acid that’s in spinach. It’s held within the leaf in a crystal form. When you break the spinach down as you chew, it coats your teeth. You can feel it with your tongue, as you may have noticed!
Question: What can I do to avoid this strange sensation? Is there some different way of consuming spinach, so I can avoid it?
Answer: You can’t really do anything to avoid this feeling unless you stop eating it altogether. However, you can always rinse and then brush your teeth afterwards to clean the food from your teeth. Of course, this is also a good way to protect your oral health after meals.
Question: Should I stop eating spinach or is it actually good for my smile?
Answer: We encourage you to continue eating it. Spinach is a dark green leafy veggie that’s good for your oral health because of its high calcium content (among other beneficial nutrients).
Learn About Oral Health Protection With Checkups
Make sure you’re on-target with your efforts in oral health by coming in for checkups. Learn more by scheduling a visit in Prairie Village, KS by calling Robert M Browne, DDS at (913) 901-8585.
