Orthodontic Assistant Practice Exam

Which of the following foods is considered a detergent food?

1. Bananas

2. Apples

3. Bread

4. Cheese

The correct answer is: Apples

The correct choice is apples, which are considered detergent foods because they naturally help clean teeth as you chew them. The fibrous texture of apples can help scrub the surfaces of the teeth, providing a mechanical cleaning effect, similar to how a detergent works on surfaces. This property makes apples advantageous for dental health, as they stimulate saliva production, which further aids in neutralizing acids in the mouth and washing away food particles. In contrast, other options like bananas, bread, and cheese do not offer the same cleaning benefits. Bananas are softer and do not have a fibrous texture that contributes to scrubbing the teeth. Bread can leave residues that may adhere to teeth, and while cheese has some benefits for oral health due to its calcium content, it does not have the same scrubbing action as apples. Therefore, apples stand out as particularly effective detergent foods within this context.