Why does milk get all the credit for strong teeth?

Isn’t calcium from other foods just as good? I read somewhere leafy greens have a ton, but no one ever pushed spinach for teeth.

That’s spot on—calcium’s calcium, whether it comes from milk or kale. I grew up with the “finish your milk or your teeth will fall out” routine too, but honestly, I’ve seen plenty of folks who never drank milk and still have great teeth. Ever notice how nobody ever tells kids to eat bok choy for their enamel? Makes you wonder if it was all about what was easy to market back then. Do you think the sugar issue gets overlooked because we’re so focused on what we’re “supposed” to eat?

Ever notice how nobody ever tells kids to eat bok choy for their enamel?

This cracked me up because it’s so true. I mean, when’s the last time you saw a “Got Kale?” ad? For real though, I’ve always wondered if all the milk hype was just easier to sell than “eat more collard greens.” Like, my grandma never drank milk (she hated it), but at 80 she still had her own teeth. She swore by sardines, weirdly enough.

I kind of think the sugar thing gets swept under the rug a lot. People get so hung up on what you *should* eat for healthy teeth, but then ignore that soda and juice are just wrecking them behind the scenes. It’s almost like we want a magic food fix rather than looking at what we might need to cut out... Anyone else feel like nobody ever wants to talk about flossing either? Calcium’s great and all, but don’t even get me started on how much difference actually brushing makes.

I totally get what you mean about the whole milk thing. When I first got braces, my orthodontist talked a ton about brushing and flossing, but never once mentioned veggies or sardines. Meanwhile, my mom’s obsessed with leafy greens and she’s never had a cavity. I actually tried cutting out soda for a few months (harder than it sounds) and my teeth felt way less sensitive. It’s wild how much the sugar sneaks in... Honestly, flossing made more of a difference than any food swap I ever tried.

Not gonna lie, I used to think milk was the superhero of tooth strength too. But honestly, after years of eating more cheese than should be legal and still getting cavities, I’m starting to think leafy greens are the real MVPs. Like you said,

my mom’s obsessed with leafy greens and she’s never had a cavity

Maybe it’s not about one magic food, but just not letting stuff hang out between your teeth for days...

Totally get this. I always wondered if it’s more about the daily habits than the actual foods. Like, does it matter if you eat a ton of calcium if you’re not brushing or flossing right? I’ve read leafy greens have vitamin K and folate too, maybe that helps? Curious if anyone’s dentist ever said greens are better than dairy, or is that just a myth that gets passed around?