the importance of nutrition for dental health

photo by Tyllie Barbosa

the importance of nutrition for dental health

Did you know that 50% of Americans show gum disease symptoms, and 90% of American adults have at least one cavity? The leading cause of people suffering in such a large number is the wrong lifestyle and lack of dental care. If you make some lifestyle changes, you can prevent oral diseases. One of those changes will be to start eating nutritious food.

It is said that “we are what we eat”. It means our entire health depends mainly on what kind of food we consume. Still, a healthy and nutritious diet is only associated with weight and control of lifestyle diseases. Unfortunately, people don’t associate solid teeth and healthy eating. Limited knowledge is available on what to eat for strong, healthy teeth. We will throw some light on the subject of the relationship between strong gums, teeth, and healthy eating through this article.

how does nutrition affect oral health?

According to the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, food and dental health are closely connected. In the below-mentioned points, we will explain the vast impact of nutrition on your teeth and gums.

• Tooth Loss

It is the most common oral condition of all. A lack of nutrients in the diet can affect the tissues’ ability to resist any kind of infection, eventually resulting tooth loss.

• Cavities & Bacteria

Good oral health and diet are closely connected. If you don’t watch out for what you eat, you risk developing cavities and bacteria in your mouth. You can suffer from bad breath, gingivitis, or tooth decay due to eating the wrong foodstuff, as mentioned above. Instead, eat food rich in calcium and phosphorus.

• Dental Caries

Dental caries is the name of a slow and painful process of losing your teeth. Your tooth starts decaying due to cavities. And when the damage reaches beyond repair, the teeth are lost. Dental caries happen due to eating sugary food and hard food, which damages the enamel.

• Enamel Health

You might be aware that enamel is the name of the outer layer of the teeth. It prevents your teeth from all kinds of bacteria and cavities. Therefore proper development of this layer is vital for dental health. You need to eat a lot of food rich in vitamin A, D, and protein to ensure you have healthy enamel.

what to eat for strong healthy teeth?

Following is the list of food you should eat regularly for healthy teeth and gums:-

1. Drink Lots of water – It keeps you hydrated and avoid dry mouth.
2. Dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, etc., which are rich in vitamin D and calcium.
3. Lean protein like seafood, tofu, beans, etc.
4. Fibrous fruits and vegetables. Apart from supplying necessary nutrients, they clean the surface of your teeth with their fibrous texture.
5. Healthy nuts and seeds.

what not to eat with a gum disease? 

Let us check out the kind of food we should avoid ensuring healthy teeth. Food rich in carbohydrates, carbonated drinks, sugary food, starchy food, hard and sticky food, coffee, and alcohol is the kind of stuff you should avoid or take in less quantity. Your teeth can even fall out because of the regular consumption of these kinds of food. If you are suffering from gum disease like periodontitis, following the food, you should avoid eating so that your condition doesn’t aggravate:-

1. Acidic & citrus food like lemons
2. Sugary stuff like ice cream and chocolates
3. Hard foods such as ice and hard nuts
4. Acidic drinks, for example, sports drinks

conclusion

Now that you know the connection between nutrition and oral health, we hope you will always choose the food that is good for teeth and gums. Also, it would be best if you avoid the harmful foodstuff. There are always healthy alternatives to the food that does not add value to your dental and overall health.

author bio

Dr. Anu Isaac, DMD, runs a successful dental practice in Salem, MA. Dr. Isaac strives for quality on a daily basis and this commitment to quality is reflected in her constant pursuit of advanced training. Her firm belief that even experts need to stay updated about what’s new in the dental field, enables her to provide every patient with optimal oral care. As the founder of Coral Dental Care, she is dedicated to creating healthy, beautiful smiles for her patients and also to educating dental and non-dental communities with her engaging articles on all things related to oral health, recent dental innovations, and latest treatment modalities.

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