3 Ways In Which Poor Food Choices Can Affect Your Dental Health

Posted on: 20 October 2020

Very few people really think about the connection between their nutrition and the state of their teeth. Even when paying a visit to the dentist, the focus is usually on how to clean the teeth, remove stains, and get bridges and implants, root canals, and other measures to control the damage after it has occurred. Few people internalize the fact that when you invest in proper diet from a young age, you will have fewer dental health complications to deal with later in life.

Here are ways in which poor food choices contribute to poor tooth health and changes you can implement to improve the life and strength of your teeth.

People Who Have a Sweet Tooth

Everyone likes eating something sweet and sugary every once in a while. However, if your appetite for sugary and starchy food is untamed, you can cause a lot of damage to your teeth. Sugar and starch normally remain on the tooth's surface, and since bacteria like sugar, it can multiply very fast in your mouth. The bacteria break down the sugar and create an acid that corrodes the enamel and the dentin over time, leading to cavities.

To prevent this from happening, replace processed sugars and starchy foods with fruits and sweeteners. Additionally, brush and floss your teeth immediately after eating cake, cookies, ice-cream, and other sugary foods.

People Who Smoke and Take Coffee

Cigarettes contain hundreds of chemicals. The smoke is particularly harmful because it contains tar, the dark brown substance that coats the teeth of a smoker and gives them a yellowish stain. With time, the yellow stain turns brown and becomes very hard to get rid of. Coffee also creates dark brown stains on the teeth, which need a lot of polishing to clean up. In most cases, people with these stains end up with veneers to cover the damage.

If you want strong, beautiful, and healthy teeth, consider quitting cigarettes. Rinse your mouth whenever you take coffee and limit consumption.

Lack of Nutrients that Support Dental Health

People who get into diets with little calcium and phosphorus are at a higher risk of developing dental problems than those who take these nutrients. If you are vegan, consider green leafy vegetables that are rich in calcium, and nuts and beans for phosphorus.

Investing in the right dietary choices will reduce your dental health complications. It will also help the teeth serve you for many years. Get a competent dentist for advice on the ideal diet for great teeth, checkups, and dental treatment.

If you are looking for more information, contact a professional such as Mark A. Massa, DDS, Inc

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