How What You Eat Affects Your Dental Health
Posted on: 21 November 2022
It turns out that taking care of your teeth by brushing, flossing, and seeing your dentist is only part of the story. Dentists know that what their patients eat and drink can also have a huge effect on their dental health. Read on and find out more about how what you eat affects more than the numbers on the scale.
Those without access to modern foods tend to have healthier teeth. Before the advent of preservatives and highly processed foods, diets consisted mainly of fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds. Today, much of the world has access to unhealthy foods and their teeth are witness to the negative effects.
You Are Missing Variety
One of the main problems with diets today is that they consist of fewer types of foods. When you consider your own diet, you might notice that you only eat about 10 to 20 different foods each week. Most of us consume the same few foods almost all the time. Unfortunately, that may not be good for your teeth. In the past, people may have eaten many types of vegetables, nuts, fruit, and seeds—all of which helped to naturally cleanse the teeth. Now, you might munch on potato chips or treat yourself to ice cream and other types of soothing and comforting foods. Those foods tend to not be as good at cleansing your teeth as plain fruits and seeds, however.
You Are Missing Saliva as Well
Many are unaware of the important role saliva plays in dental health. It acts as a rinsing agent to constantly remove food particles and bacteria from your teeth. It also contains important nutrients that your teeth need to remain strong. Without saliva, your mouth only serves as a breeding ground for bacteria and gum diseases. While saliva production is affected by medical conditions and medications, it is mostly influenced by what you choose to eat. When you eat healthy foods, it protects your saliva production. When you eat a lot of artificial colors, preservatives, salt, sugar, and carbohydrates, the quantity and quality of your saliva can be affected.
Disrupt Your Bacteria
To fight back against the negative effects of diet, prepare to brush and brush some more. When your toothbrush moves across the surfaces of your teeth, you are not just removing bad actors like food particles, you are disturbing and redistributing the bacteria. When bacteria remain in the same location, the harm done can be immense. For more information about how what you eat can affect your dental health, visit a local office like Cooper Family Dentistry.
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