Nutrition Plays a Role in Your Dental Health

We know that dental care is important to keeping a healthy and happy smile. What many people don’t take into consideration is that your Washington D.C. general dentist also needs to observe proper nutritional standards to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

How Foods Can Affect Your Mouth

There are different foods that can have an impact on your dental health.

High Sugar/Low Fiber Diets

Eating a lot of processed sugars will cause your body to be devoid of nutrients. In addition, they are highly cariogenic and decay-causing. If that wasn’t enough, this diet will lead to obesity.

High Fiber/Low Sugar Diets

Plants produce simple sugars. This means that fruits and vegetables contain natural glucose and sucrose which get absorbed slowly due to their fiber content. It also contains vitamins and minerals which will be processed by the body.

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables instead of processed sugars will help to decrease tooth decay and promote overall well-being.

Starches

This makes up a large food group. This can be refined starches or options from their natural state.

Whole grains are going to help protect the teeth. They require a larger amount of chewing and therefore stimulate saliva protection.

Eating cooked starchy foods like rice, potatoes and bread also have lower decay producing properties. The concern comes in when sugar is added to starchy foods.

Foods that Fight Decay

There are several foods that are known for fighting dental decay. Add as many of these to your diet as possible:

• Cheese – Stimulates saliva production and is rich in calcium
• Milk – Contains lactose which is less acidic than other sugars. It also contains calcium.
• Plant Foods – These fibrous foods stimulate saliva production.
• Black & Green Teas – Rich in polyphenols and flavonoids which are antioxidants that protect against decay.
• Chocolate- Studies show that eating cocoa in unrefined form can have anti-decay potential.

In addition to paying close attention to your diet, you’ll also want to maintain good oral health habits. When you combine these two practices together, you set yourself up for success against battling tooth decay and other dental ailments. Visit your Washington D.C. general dentist for more information on how your nutrition can affect your oral health by calling us at (202) 822-3787.