Latest update February 28th, 2020 10:43 AM
How to use your diet to fuel excellent oral health
It would be fair to say that most people associate excellent oral health with regular brushing of their teeth, with the odd session of flossing thrown in there as well.
As it turns out, there are all sorts of ways you can stay on top of this – with your diet playing a big part.
To highlight the point, here are some ways in which your mouth really is impacted by what is consumed within it.
The standard advice about sugars
Let’s kick things off with some advice that you have hopefully heard time and time again over the years, and you are maybe already implementing.
In short, sugar is the root of all evil when it comes to tooth decay. All forms of sugar cause it, whether it’s a processed food or a fruit.
At this point let’s also make you aware of the “no added sugar” idea. If you do see this, don’t immediately think that the food in question is fit for purpose. This label doesn’t mean that it is sugar free, but instead that no extra sugar has been added on top of the original recipe. Suffice to say, that original recipe could have had huge amounts of the S-word within it.
Be aware of anything acidic
Another enemy, in addition to sugar, is any food which is acidic. Any acid that is contained within a food can erode the enamel in your teeth. Not only does this cause aesthetic effects for your teeth, but it can make them really sensitive as well.
You can help your plight with chewing gum
Something that has been found to aid your dental health is chewing gum. It will make your mouth produce more saliva, which can balance out the acid within your mouth.
Of course, it’s at this point that we will remind you that you should only be turning to sugar-free chewing gum – for the reasons discussed in the first section of today’s article.
Less is more
A lot of weight loss articles preach the topic of consuming lots of smaller dishes through the day in a bid to stay on top of portions.
Well, from an oral health perspective, this isn’t going to help. Instead, try and stay to as few as possible – with three being the optimum number.
Your drinking options
When it comes to your drinking choices, very similar rules apply. Ultimately, anything that contains a lot of sugar is immediately out of the question. This includes anything, whether it is soda or supposedly natural juices. Of course, anything in the former category is significantly worse.
So, what are the better options? Water and milk are the top two, while the next-best comes in the form of diluted sugar-free fruit drinks. If you do go down this route, make sure you are operating with a 1-10 dilution between water and the juice, though.
Resources
- https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/food-shopping-for-diabetes/understanding-food-labels
- https://www.candywarehouse.com/beemans-gum-5-stick-packs-20-piece-box
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070625193321.htm
- https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-oral-health/what-these-drinks-do-to-your-teeth
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