Does Nutrition Play a Role in Maintaining Healthy Teeth?

oral health SouthlakeThere is no shortage of reasons to eat healthy. Everyone knows that our bodies require nutrient-dense food to perform optimally. Moreover, much of the same advice a person would take to keep his or her weight healthy applies to keeping teeth and gums healthy. For instance, keeping track of our sugar intake is just as friendly to our waistlines as it is to our teeth. Following is some helpful information and tips for protecting your oral health with a responsible diet.

Eat a Variety of Foods

Variety is important for keeping a healthy diet. This is because variety helps ensure that you are receiving healthy amounts of necessary minerals and vitamins. Having variety also helps keep a person from getting bored when trying to maintain a healthy diet. Medical and dental professionals cannot stress the importance of eating abundant leafy greens and lean proteins, too as these foods tend to be nutrient dense.

Avoid Sugar and Acid

Everyone has been told to avoid foods and drinks like candy and soda from a dentist. This is because sugar and acid are some of the most dangerous compounds to teeth in food form. Not only are acid and sugar dangerous to oral health, they are prevalent ingredients in many foods and drinks. Avoiding acid and sugar wherever possible can help prevent the accumulation of plaque/tartar on teeth and beneath the gums and tooth decay.

At any moment, our mouths are full of millions of bacteria. Some of these bacteria are harmful. When we imbibe anything with sugar, bacteria will stir into a feeding frenzy. This is because sugar is a natural food source for bacteria. By avoiding sugar, a person can essentially starve bacteria. Acid, like sugar, should be avoided as much as possible. Acidic compounds strip minerals from tooth enamel. Repeated exposure to acid will develop into permanent damage to tooth enamel. When tooth enamel is damaged, a tooth is left unprotected against cavity-causing bacteria.

Drink Water

Not only is water a necessity for staying hydrated, it is a necessity for keeping a healthy mouth. Drinking water throughout the day will help keep teeth and gums clean by rinsing away leftover debris. It will also help dilute acid. We recommend drinking at least 64-ounces of plain water every day.

If it’s time for an appointment, call us today to schedule time with our dentist at Tate Family Dentistry!

Related Posts