Sugary foods speed up decay
You’ve probably heard that sugary foods are bad for your teeth. Well, it’s true.
Naturally occurring and ordinarily harmless bacteria that live in the mouth love sugar. Their interaction with the sugars that make their way into your mouth via the food and drink you consume is what causes tooth decay. As these bacteria interact with the sugar, they produce acids.
These acids gradually dissolve and wear down your teeth, causing decay and, over time, cavities as well. Your teeth have a natural layer of protection against acid. This natural protection layer is called enamel, and it generally does a great job of protecting the more sensitive inner area of the tooth.
Modern-day diets, however, are far removed from the relatively very low levels of sugar that our mouths are used to consuming.
Going up against sugar-filled soft drinks and a western diet where almost everything seems to be packed with added sugar, your enamel has little chance to protect you.
These days even foods that we might not necessarily think of as being sugary foods actually contain high amounts of added sugars that are gradually doing more and more harm to your smile.
A healthy diet recognizes the many negative health effects associated with consuming too much sugar, and this is a major win for your general oral health too.
A healthy diet is rich in calcium and other minerals
A balanced and healthy diet is also rich in calcium and many of the other vital minerals that help to keep your mouth healthy.
Toothpaste manufacturer Colgate has produced this great list of the top 5 essential vitamins that your teeth and gums need in order to remain healthy.
When designing and developing your healthy diet, try to ensure at least a partial focus on foods that are high in these important vitamins and minerals. This will keep your teeth in top health by simply giving them the materials they need to remain strong.
What foods should I eat for good dental health?
Talking about vitamins and minerals begs an important question – what food should I be eating to help keep my teeth healthy? In the previous section of this article, we talked about the importance of not just reducing the bad foods you consume, but also the benefits of increasing the good foods. So, what are the best types of foods to eat to ensure that your body is equipped with the tools it needs to maintain good oral health?
Here is a great overview of some of the broader categories of food and drinks that can help your teeth remain strong and healthy.
Toothbrush manufacturer Nano-b also has a great and very detailed list of 30 foods that are great for your teeth.
In general, here at Rocky Ridge Dental we always advise our patients to eat more unprocessed, real food.
Less processed, whole foods are usually more diverse and plentiful in their vitamin and mineral content and are a great choice for those looking to improve the health of their teeth through a better diet.
