Diet And Dental Health

Many people are not conscious about their diet. Foods they purchase and take in everyday has a big factor in maintaining healthy body, healthy mind and healthy mouth and teeth. These things are greatly intertwined. One cannot be perfect without the other. As an example, one cannot have a healthy body without a healthy mouth.

Clearly, diet can affect dental health. The oral cavity is the first part of the body that is affected whenever you swallow food. The teeth and the gums are the most sensitive components of the mouth that can get affected.

The five major food groups

The five major food groups are the determinant of healthy diet. These are:

Food Group Pyramid
Food Groups
  • Grains. The carbohydrates group. This is composed of oats, wheat, barley and rice. Some vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes and truffle are also included.
  •   Fruits and vegetables. These are the good source of vitamins and minerals. They are low in fat content and less in calories. Your teeth can also benefit from this because they are high in fiber which helps in sweeping away debris; hence less tooth decay..
  • Milk and dairy. These are high in calcium and other minerals that make stronger teeth. If you are an adult, low fat milk is a good choice to eliminate excess saturated fat.
  • Meat, poultry and fish. This is the main source of protein, iron and B12.
  • Fats. Although fat is bad for your health, you still need a little of it to develop your hormones and some major parts of the brain. Moderation is the key. Try to choose the “healthy” fat which are in things like olive oil, nuts and fish to name a few. Healthy fats are  monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3s; “bad” or unhealthy fats are saturated and trans fats. Healthy fat plays a great role in managing your weight, your mood and fighting fatigue.

Eating whole meals with these food groups give you an advantage on keeping teeth and gums healthy, not to mention overall health. If you want to snack, snack on something from these food groups for healthier choices. Include probiotics in your diet. You can buy these at any health store.

Poor nutrition

Eating on highly-processed and low nutritional value food makes a low performing immune system. This can jeopardize your health. Thus, you are prone to several diseases like cardiovascular disorders and diabetes, as well as infections not just in the body but also in the mouth.

Diabetes, alone, is very bad for dental health. Because your blood becomes too viscous, the capillaries in your gums become swollen and tender. This could easily get irritated and bleed. Gum disease or gingivitis is one of the diseases that can occur due to diabetes and vice vesra due to increased blood sugar levels. Your salivary glands also function less. This would result in dry mouth that makes it harder for you to eat and speak as well as prone to dental caries. Less amount of saliva in the mouth means, less cleansing agent to wash away the food debris and bacteria.

Things to do to keep your mouth healthy

Unhealthy Foods
Processed Unhealthy Foods

Here are few things you can try do to maintain good oral health.

  • Drink lots of water. This washes away debris.  Tap water from your faucet is fluoride fortified. This is better than distilled if you do not have overly sensitive stomach. Check your water because not all cities have “good ” tap water.
  • Eat balanced diet. Prefer high-fiber food over processed ones.
  • Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a soft toothbrush and floss once a day.
  • See your dentist regularly for dental checkups and cleanings.

Diet is a big factor in keeping the mouth healthy.  Nutritious food with less sugar can help in minimizing tartar and cavities. Keep your options always healthy and nutritious. Make a conscious decision to take care of your general health including your oral health.

By: Ladan Zinati

21 Comments

  1. Diet plan And Dental Wellness: How Do They Connect? | St James Dental Group
    May 29, 2013

    […] Click here for more information on diet and dental health […]

    • admin
      June 5, 2013

      Yes, you are definitely correct!

  2. rokib
    May 30, 2013

    people should eat fruits with their meal.they should avoid junk food for keeping teeth well.

  3. Kayla
    May 30, 2013

    I recently got braces so I have truly seen how important it is to watch what I am eating and how it effects me. My dental routine has practically doubled in time, leaving food especially sugars trapped in my teeth is a major concern.

  4. kyle
    June 2, 2013

    Wow! I never knew that drinking tap water was better than distilled. Definitely going to make that change to keep my mouth healthy :)

  5. Josh
    June 7, 2013

    Found out eating poor nutrition food makes your immune system weaker which is a decent discovery for me. Also learning that fat helps with your hormones is quite mind blowing.

  6. Rob
    June 8, 2013

    It’s amazing to me how many people just don’t understand how important proper nutrition truly is, myself included. I should also probably start flossing regularly too!

    • admin
      June 16, 2013

      Yes, that is so true Rob. Even people who understand it, don’t follow it sometimes! And yes, definitely floss daily:)

  7. Md Omedul Islam
    June 27, 2013

    I have get a good idea for poor nutrition and proper nutrition.So i am now carefull about my food habit.Now your all of article is my online consultent.thank you very much.

    • admin
      June 30, 2013

      You are very welcome!

  8. Ripon
    June 30, 2013

    Each people must be known their daily diet chart. Most of the people don’t care nutrition food.for this reason they face various problem. First one is dental problem.
    So i hope those person follow above mention five major food groups then more benefit gain in every moment. i think this is best one of lesson.

  9. jewel
    July 1, 2013

    Results from eating bad food makes your immune system is weaker than a worthy discovery for me. They also know that fat helps your hormones are quite overwhelming.

  10. vjadi
    July 9, 2013

    I have been thinking that distilled water is good for our health.. but after reading this article i will definitely switch over to tapwater…..

  11. khristian jackson
    July 11, 2013

    I do think healthy body healthy teeth as well as hair
    We judge each other health by the way are teeth look ?

  12. Lokendra
    July 12, 2013

    I want to know these helpful health instruction from anywhere, this article is very useful for me and everybody.

  13. Nahar
    July 16, 2013

    I don’t know about diet and dental health is related. This article is Describe about Relation between diet and dental.Good Nutrition food is helpful for health and teeth And other hand poor Nutrition food is harmful for health and teeth. This article is very much important for me.

  14. tonsil stones smell
    July 25, 2013

    I like the valuable info you provide in your articles.
    I’ll bookmark your weblog and check again here frequently. I am quite sure I’ll learn
    many new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!

    • admin
      July 28, 2013

      Thank you for visiting my blog and bookmarking it. I am sure you will enjoy more articles that will help you in your life for good dental and overall health.

  15. Diet plan And Dental Wellness: Exactly how Do T...
    January 21, 2014

    […] Great deals of individuals are not mindful regarding their diet plan. Foods they buy and eat daily has a significant aspect in preserving healthy body, healthy mind and healthy mouth and teeth. These things are greatly linked. As an example, one can not have a healthy body without a healthy mouth. Diet plan can affect dental wellness in many techniques. The oral tooth cavity is the first first part of the body that is afflicted whenever you swallow food. The teeth and the gums are the most sensitive aspects of the mouth that can acquire afflicted. In this article I will go a lot more into info regarding this and precisely what you can do to stay healthy.  […]

  16. Diet plan And Dental Wellness: Exactly how Do T...
    January 21, 2014

    […]   […]

  17. Diet And Dental Health: How Do They Associate? ...
    January 23, 2014

    […]   […]

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