# Lettuce and Teeth

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettuce-and-teeth/654004>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 26, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettuce-and-teeth/654004 "2013-03-26T14:09:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cman89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@cman89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cman89)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettuce-and-teeth/654004/1 "2013-03-26T14:09:41Z")

</div>

Strange habit of mine- After a meal, especially one that has not included a salad, I will often eat a lettuce leaf or two,romaine, straight from the fridge. (Rinsed of Course) I guess I just like the fresh taste after a meal, and the fact that it seems to superficially clean off your teeth. My question is: Does this chewing of lettuce serve any action as far as getting cavity causing elements of biomatter off your teeth? For example, if I were to eat and thoroughly chew some lettuce after eating a couple of cookies, will the amount of sugars on my teeth be reduced? I am not seeking to replace my toothbrushing, just simply a thought that passed through my mind.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lettuce-and-teeth/654004/2 "2013-03-26T14:17:23Z")

</div>

I’ve heard that eating cheese can clean your teeth. It seems to work on mine.