How Much Does Your Diet Affect Your Oral Health?
What we eat and drink plays a significant role in maintaining healthy teeth and gums.
How much thought do you put into what you eat and drink on a daily basis? Like most people, you probably eat according to your taste buds and perhaps your budget too. Enjoyment of food is important of course, but it is worth remembering that it is also a ‘fuel’ for our body that keeps us going. This is its essential role and one that we can all too easily forget in this age of plenty. We should then, keep this in mind when we go out to do our shopping; by all means buying things that we enjoy, but also food that is good for us.
This consideration should also expand to our oral health. After all, losing a number of teeth to tooth decay will not only make us more self-conscious, but can also limit what we eat, especially if our remaining teeth are not that healthy either.
In today’s blog then, our Bedford dental team take a look at some of the items that you should try to put in your shopping basket and some that are best left on the shelf.
Drinks
Let us start with the drinks that we buy and those more likely to be consumed more when the British summer decides to take a turn for the better. As the hot weather arrives, we are much more likely to consume greater amounts of liquids in order to keep ourselves cool.
If we are thinking of barbeques and the like, the possibility is that plenty of alcohol will make its way into our baskets. No one here at The Dental Centre Bedford is saying that you shouldn’t have a good time and enjoy a drink or two, but you should also remember that alcohol is a significant contributor to poor oral health especially in the area of gum disease. Alcohol consumption often leaves a dry mouth which is not only unpleasant but also enables the potentially harmful bacteria in our mouths to rapidly multiply. If you do drink alcohol, remember to also drink lots of water to help avoid this.
For those who don’t drink alcohol or who prefer to mix it up a little, you might be tempted to drink lots of soft drinks. While these don’t usually have the same effects as alcohol, they often contain lots of sugar and are also often very acidic too. Both sugars and acids are harmful to tooth enamel and may lead to decay or enamel erosion, both of which pose a threat to your teeth. If you do drink these types of drinks, try to do so in moderation and perhaps drink through a straw to reduce the contact with your front teeth.
So, having advised you what not to drink, what drinks are good for your teeth?
There are two drinks that are especially beneficial. Milk is one of these and although you may not want to drink this at a barbeque, drinking plenty of milk in general is a great way of attaining the calcium and vitamin D that is essential for healthy teeth.
Finally, one of the most important drinks you can consume is water. Even good old tap water is perfectly fine. Water plays not only an essential role in our general health but is also essential for good oral health and prevention of gum disease. Not only does it help us to retain a moist mouth, limiting the bacteria that breed there, but also helps to flush away both harmful bacteria and food particles that would otherwise remain trapped between our teeth.
Foods
Most of you will probably be familiar with some of the foods that are bad for your teeth. We are talking here of cakes, biscuits, sweets and chocolates etc; in fact, anything that is loaded with sugar. These are OK for an occasional treat but perhaps too many of us consume these far too often.
These are not the only foods that should be avoided or at least reduced though. Even ‘healthy’ products such as dried fruits can be problematic. Not only do they contain fructose, a naturally occurring sugar, but they also have a tendency to stick to and between the teeth, perhaps staying there for hours before (hopefully) being removed by brushing and flossing. In essence, any sticky food is best avoided for this reason, however healthy it might seem.
We do need to eat of course and there are plenty of excellent foods that can keep us healthy as well as helping our oral health.
Crunchy vegetables especially, such as carrots and celery, are great at helping to remove pieces of food that have become trapped in the teeth and gum line. Similarly, fruits such as apples serve the same purpose. Do bear in mind that these also contain sugars so you will still need to brush your teeth well of course.
Leafy green vegetables are also an excellent option as they contain many minerals and vitamins which are essential for healthy teeth, the most important of these being perhaps calcium. They also contain folic acid which is highly beneficial for healthy gums.
One excellent food group that you should include are dairy products. Not only milk, but also yoghurts and cheese contain calcium and vitamin D though do be aware that many yoghurts also have added sugars. Cheese especially, is an excellent way to finish a meal as it helps to neutralise the acidity levels in your mouth and therefore helps to protect both the enamel on your teeth and also your gum health.
A good, healthy and tooth friendly diet can certainly help you keep your teeth and gums in good health but you do still need to see your dentist and hygienist as well. If you are looking for a great dental practice to join or need to book an appointment with us, we invite you to call The Dental Centre Bedford on 01234 819868.