How Nutrition Affects Your Oral Health
March is National Nutrition Month and a great time to discuss all the ways that your diet can affect the health of your teeth. You have probably grown up hearing that calcium and vitamin D are the keys to success when relating the foods we eat to the health of your teeth.
The truth is that dental nutrition goes much further than that!
Eat Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables!
As with your overall health, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can promote good teeth by providing proper nutrition to fuel the rest of your body. Because eating raw fruits and vegetables stimulates the production of saliva, you get bonus points! Your own saliva protects against both gum disease and decay.
Fresh fruits can also satisfy a sugar craving that keeps you from reaching for a bag of candy – something you should avoid when improving the health of your teeth.
Avoid Acidic Drinks
Acid caused by bacteria reproduction is actually what causes dental decay. By drinking soda, fruit juices, and coffee, you are giving those bacteria a head start when it comes to damaging your teeth. Sticking to water when you’re thirsty not only supports dental health, but also cuts down on empty calories that can contribute to weight gain.
Sugars and Starchy Foods
Starches turn to sugar in the mouth during the first phase of digestion, so they are not exempt from contributors to tooth decay. Not only that, but packaged, starchy foods often contain preservatives and are highly processed, leaving little nutritional value. The same goes for candy.
Training yourself to eat healthier snacks such as yogurt, fruit, vegetables, salads, nuts, and even cheese in small amounts is a better choice for a healthy smile and a healthy body.
Dentist in Springfield, IL
One of the most gratifying parts of what we do is sharing knowledge with our patients. If you want a health-focused dentist in the Springfield area, we welcome you to call!