Good Diet and Oral Health

Challa Suresh, Ph.D

     Choosing the right foods in your diet is an important aspect in having healthy teeth and good oral hygiene. Establishing good nutritional habits in kids and teenagers can be especially beneficial for good eating patterns and food choices throughout their lives.

Nutrition affects oral health

The foods that you eat come in contact with the germs and bacteria that live in the mouth. If you don’t brush, plaque will accumulate on the teeth. Plaque thrives on the starches and sugars that are found in a great deal of foods. When plaque combines with the sugars and starches, an acid is produced that attacks enamel on the teeth, and eventually causes decay and the acid attacks the teeth for 20 minutes or more.

     The right diet and nutrition play an integral part in ensuring strong teeth and healthy gums. Sugar, natural or processed, is your teeth's deadliest enemy and is the prime cause of tooth decay. Retentive sticky foods (such as raisins, caramels, toffees, slowly dissolving hard candies, etc.) that are not quickly diluted by saliva also pose a major risk in the formation of dental cavities. Even apparently harmless wafers/chips are retained on the tooth for a long period of time & eventually broken down into carbohydrates & sugars leading to decay.

     Many inter-related factors must be considered when the growth and development of children is being evaluated in respect to their oral health. Children should be given carbohydrates in their natural forms (as far as possible). They should be encouraged to eat hard fruits in whole instead of juices. This helps cleanse and stimulate teeth. Sticky/soft foods like white bread, pastries, aerated drinks, doughnuts, sweet rolls and processed cereals, one of the biggest causes of tooth decay, should be avoided. Beverages like lassi, buttermilk and home-made squashes should be encouraged.

Sticky Foods

     The longer food remains in your mouth, the greater the chance for decay. Rinse your mouth immediately after eating, especially if you've just had something sweet, to prevent the formation of plaque. Remember, rinsing after meals and brushing teeth at least twice daily is essential to keep tartar and plaque at bay. Use an effective, clinically tested toothpaste that provides long time protection between brushings.

Choosing a Healthy Diet

Choosing a healthy diet may sound easy, however, fruits, milk, cereals, bread and some vegetables contain sugars and / or starches. Carbonated sodas, sweet fruit drinks and sugary snack foods should be limited. You don’t have to avoid these foods, just keep in mind that you should eat a balanced diet, brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily.

Crash Diet

Teenagers have been known to start that Monday morning crash diet without ever realizing that this may in fact be the incorrect way to diet. These crash dieters who excessively fast, or diet on an on and off pattern, tend to have a lack of, or decrease in certain vitamins, most notably Vitamins D, B-12 and calcium. They also tend to lack certain minerals and proteins in their diets. These are very important vitamins especially for the health of the teeth and gums. Dieters also tend to take diet pills that may cause a decrease in saliva flow as a side effect. This decrease in saliva flow tends to increase the acid levels in the mouth, which may cause an increased level of cavity formation. Vitamin levels and a balanced diet with all food groups should be evaluated. As always, sound oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist help decrease oral health problems.

Vitamins

     Supplements, together with good oral hygiene, can aid in decreasing the incidence of dental cavities, bad breath and gum disease. Vitamins, such as a vitamin C, flavanoids and coenzyme Q10 are powerful antioxidants that protect gums against cell damage and promote healing. Vitamin C is vital for the production of collagen — the main protein building block for fibrous framework of all living tissues — which, in turn, makes it more resistant to bacterial penetration. Vitamin C also promotes healthy capillaries, which aids oral tissue in staying healthy. Insufficient consumption of Vitamin C may lead to oral health problems like swollen and bleeding gums and loss of teeth can result.

     Tongue cleaning is very important. It helps to reduce bad breath and improve oral hygiene status because a large number of bacteria reside in the rough corrugated surface of tongue. Most dental professionals advise that poor oral hygiene, such as not brushing, not flossing, or not rinsing enough is the leading cause of gum disease and tooth decay. Smoking, chewing beetle nut and tobacco are also factors that adversely affect oral hygiene. These habits can cause bad breath, decay, gum disease, damage to tooth enamel, eventual tooth loss and in many cases even lead to oral cancer.

Eating Habits For Good Teeth

• Drink plenty of water daily.

• Eat fiber-rich raw foods, which massage the gums and cleans the teeth. Raw foods also increase salivation, which neutralizes acids and alkalis within the mouth. You may grate, dice, ground, blend, or juice raw foods. Good raw foods to eat are apple, carrot, radish, cucumber, orange, pear, beetroot, watermelon, etc.

• Eat some raw food after every meals. This will help clean your teeth and gums due to high water content. However, after eating citrus fruits or juices, rinse your mouth with water, as the acids present in them can weaken enamel.

• Eat sprouts of beans. Eat high protein foods.

• Nuts are rich in calcium, magnesium and phosphate, which are important nutrients for dental health. Nuts good for teeth are cashews, peanuts, almonds and walnuts.

• Fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and cereal products.

• Calcium rich foods such as milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.

• Foods eaten between meals should not contain fermentable sugars.

• Sweets and other sticky carbohydrate foods are not suitable as snacks, especially when you can not brush soon after.

• Eat a variety of healthy foods from the five major food groups 

• Cut down on snacking in between meals; Limit snacks and drinks that are high in sugar; Brush twice a day;

• Floss Daily

• Meat eaters require to take better care of their teeth. If the stuck meat fibres are left overnight without cleaning, the fibres may petrify and release an acid which acts on the tooth causing it to decay.

• Visit your dentist for regular check ups.

With a little awareness and knowledge on the subject of oral care, there could be some prettier smiles around the world and less misery from tooth decay.