Eating Well Can Lead to a Great Smile: Nutrition and Oral Health

Written on December 23, 2009 by Jenny Hagen

Have one too many gingerbread cookies after Christmas dinner? Or maybe swiped too many candy canes away from the kids? While the treats that accompany the holidays may be one of the highlights of the season, those little sugary indulgences aren't always kind to our smiles, and often add up.

Hagen Dental Practice reminds you that while you take stock of your personal health goals in the New Year, don't forget about your first line of defense in your healthcare regimen, your oral health.

All dentists agree-there is a huge correlation between your diet and your overall oral health. The food we choose to eat affects our health, which includes our teeth and gums. The American Dental Association recommends following the guidelines set forth in the USDA's food pyramid to maintain a healthy diet, which includes all of the food groups.

There are a number of foods that lead to poor oral health, but the number one enemy for teeth, gums, and dentists everywhere is sugar. According to the American Dental Association, patients are consuming record amounts of sugar in the form of sodas, non-nutritious snacks, and sweetened fruit drinks.

When you add sugar to bacteria in your mouth (plaque), acid is produced and typically attacks the teeth for 20 minutes or more, which eventually results in tooth decay. Prolonged exposure to acids can lead to permanent damage and often to enamel erosion, or the loss of enamel from the tooth surface, making it more difficult for the mouth to resist infection. The right minerals and nutrients are essential in helping your body resist infection, and too much or too little of a nutrient can have harmful effects, particularly on the mouth and teeth.

Foods to stay away from

Surprisingly, foods high in carbohydrates can be just as harmful as candy, because carbs break down into simple sugars, which then form plaque. So, try to only eat carbs during meals, when your mouth naturally produces a greater amount of saliva, as this helps to neutralize acids and wash food away.

Also, candy, chewy sugary snacks, fruit and vegetable juices, and soft drinks are foods that, if eaten to excess, are very harmful to our teeth. Sodas are the leading sugar culprit in our diet. When consumed in excess, soda leads to cavities and gum disease. According to the National Soft Drink Association (NSDA), consumption of soft drinks is now over 600 12 oz. servings per person per year.

To maintain a balanced diet that will promote a healthy smile, eat a variety of nutritious foods. There are some oral health all-stars out there that can give you the upper hand in protecting your oral health.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C isn't just an immune booster for the cold and flu. We know that vitamin C is great for our skin, as it holds our cells together, but this also applies to our gum tissue. Consuming plenty of vitamin C is essential to keeping gums healthy and strong. In fact, not getting a sufficient amount of vitamin C can lead to loose teeth and bleeding gums. According to the General Academy of Dentistry, vitamin C is also a great way to ensure a speedy recovery from oral surgery, as it aids in the healing process by assisting in tissue repair. Orange juice, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and raw red peppers are great sources of vitamin C.

Calcium

Calcium-rich foods also rank ahead of the pack in maintaining healthy teeth. Studies show that the more calcium you have in your diet the less likely it is that you will develop gum disease. The vast amount of calcium in your body is contained in your bones and teeth. Getting the right amount of calcium in your diet will help your jaw bone stay strong and keep your teeth in place. Foods like yogurt, cheese, and milk are rich in calcium. Milk, in particular, helps to prevent cavity-causing bacteria from sticking to tooth surfaces.

Teas

Also, green and black teas are rich in polyphenols, which help prevent plaque from sticking to teeth, which in turn greatly reduces the risk of developing cavities and gum disease. Many studies have shown that the polyphenols in teas are also effective in fighting the bacteria that cause bad breath. And leaves from many teas contain fluoride, which protects tooth enamel.

L-Lysine

Lysine, or L-lysine, is an essential amino acid, which is necessary for human health but cannot be made by the body and must be obtained from food. Lysine is important for proper growth and helps to lower cholesterol. Lysine appears to help the body absorb and conserve calcium, and it plays an important role in the formation of collagen. L-lysine can be used to treat mouth and genital lesions caused by herpes simplex virus as well as shingles caused by herpes zoster viruses. Taking L-lysine supplements can speed recovery time and reduce the chance of recurrent breakouts of the herpes infection. A combination of L-lysine and vitamin C can be used in the treatment of aphthous ulcers (canker sores). Lysine can be found in foods rich in protein, including meat, cheese, certain fish, nuts, eggs, and soybeans.

Overall guidelines to follow

While it may be overwhelming to constantly monitor what we eat as well as worry about how our food might affect our teeth, there are some simple common sense guidelines you can follow to maintain a healthy smile.

  • Drink lots of water.
  • If you do drink soda or fruit drinks, try to drink them with a straw to limit the contact they have with your teeth.
  • Limit the number of snacks between meals.
  • When you do snack, try to eat foods that are low in sugar.
  • Be sure to brush AND floss. Brush twice a day with a fluoride-based toothpaste, and floss to remove the plaque from under gums and between teeth.

Finally, and most importantly, visit Hagen Dental Practice regularly for checkups and cleanings.

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Category: Winter 2009, Word of Mouth | Tags:
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