Food for Thought: 4 Ways Your Diet Affects Your Dental Health
At our dental practice in Virginia, your health comes first. We always want to make sure you have the information you need to make smart choices about your dental health. This is why we take the time to show you the best techniques for brushing and flossing, talk with you about your overall health and how systemic conditions affect your dental health, and ask you questions about stress and screen for issues like sleep apnea.
This is also why we ask you questions about your dietary habits.
The food you eat and the beverages you drink have an enormous impact on the health of your teeth and gums. Teeth need certain minerals and vitamins to stay healthy and strong, and your immune system needs to be functioning properly to help you fight back against gum disease. Additionally, certain habits like how frequently you eat and how much water you drink can transform the biome of your mouth.
Having a better understanding of the connection between diet and dental health will help you make decisions throughout the day and consider whether any of your current habits are worth taking a closer look at.
1. Snacking frequently increases your risk for cavities.
Picture this, it’s 3:00 pm on a Tuesday. You’ve just had your third stressful meeting of the day. You find yourself reaching for the dish of M&Ms on your desk but discover that it’s empty, mostly because you’ve been munching on them all day.
Unfortunately, this also means that you’ve been unintentionally bathing your teeth in sugar and acid all day, increasing your risk for cavities.
It doesn’t have to be candy, either. Snacking on anything frequently throughout the day leads to plaque, bacteria, and acid, which eat away at your enamel. Instead, be sure to limit your snacks to just one or two times per day and focus on healthy, well-balanced meals to help curb the urge to snack.
Plus, get that dish of M&Ms off your desk!
2. Drinking plenty of water helps rinse away cavity-causing acid.
While drinking water won’t completely mitigate the overproduction of acid caused by snacking throughout the day, it can help. When you reduce the frequency of your snacking and add more water, your dental health will thank you.
In addition to making your mouth a less cavity-friendly environment, water is also necessary for saliva production to keep your mouth properly hydrated and moist. Without enough saliva, you may deal with dry mouth, a condition that can lead to gingivitis, also known as gum disease, and dental decay.
The water you drink may also have an additional “secret ingredient” for healthy teeth—fluoride. This naturally occurring mineral has been proven to strengthen dental enamel and not just prevent cavities but also reverse them. In cities and towns across the U.S., fluoride is added to the municipal water supply because of the massive drop in dental decay reported in areas with fluoridated water. Your dentist in Virginia can let you know if the area where you live has fluoride-treated water.
3. Multiple vitamins and minerals have a direct impact on the health of your teeth and gums.
In addition to fluoride, your teeth need several other minerals and vitamins (micronutrients) to stay strong and healthy. For instance, your body uses calcium to rebuild bone structure and density. Vitamin D is often added to foods containing calcium, like dairy products, because it helps your body better absorb the calcium. Phosphate is another mineral that works closely with calcium to help keep your bones strong.
Several vitamins also work together to help you fight off gum disease, a bacterial infection. Vitamin C is a known immune-system booster, and vitamin A helps protect the health of your mucus membranes.
To get more of these vitamins and minerals in your diet, choose these foods:
- Vitamin A—dairy, eggs, fatty fish like salmon and tuna, yellow- and orange-colored vegetables and fruits such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and cantaloupe
- Vitamin C—citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, berries, tomatoes, bell peppers, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, leafy greens
- Vitamin D—the best source for vitamin D is sunlight, but Vitamin D can also be found in mushrooms, fatty fish, and fortified dairy products
- Calcium—dairy foods including milk and yogurt, tofu, almonds, broccoli, carrots, leafy greens
- Phosphorus—dairy, nuts, legumes, beef, poultry, seafood
4. Fruits and vegetables act like a natural toothbrush to help keep your teeth clean.
You probably noticed that most of those vitamins and minerals can be found in fruits and vegetables. That’s just one reason why it’s important to include fruits and veggies in a smile-friendly diet.
The other reason is that vegetables are primarily made up of fiber and water. Fresh raw fruits and vegetables are an excellent choice for snacks because as you chew, the fiber and water work together to help clear away plaque and acid.
If you aren’t eating many fruits or vegetables right now, commit to creating a new habit. Add them to your meals—fresh carrots as a side is a great choice—and try replacing one of your snacks with an apple or bowl of cherries.
Your Dentist in Virginia Is Here to Help
Forming new habits can be hard, but we’re here to help! During your visits, discuss your habits with your dentist, including your dietary habits, and we’ll work with you to come up with solutions and ideas that fit your life to help you be as healthy as you can be.
Another good habit is visiting your dentist twice each year for a check-up and cleaning! If you’re due for your next visit, give us a call so we can get you in. If it’s been longer than that, that’s okay. This is another habit we can help you with. Call our dental practice in Virginia today and we’ll find a time that works for you so we can help you get your dental care back on track.
We’re looking forward to seeing you!
