Healthy Diet For A Healthy Smile

Just as eating healthy foods is good for building strong muscles and bones

, the foods you eat also play a large role in helping to build strong, healthy teeth. A healthy diet rich in vitamins and nutrients combined with good oral hygiene can help keep your smile looking and feeling great.

Preventing tooth decay by maintaining a healthy diet doesn't mean you have to avoid your favorite sweets and snacks all together. Moderation is key to controlling the exposure of certain foods that speed up tooth decay. Talk to your Ann Arbor dentist about ways you can modify your diet to help prevent tooth decay and other dental diseases.

Eating Healthy to Prevent Decay

As bacteria accumulate in your mouth, the sugar and starches leftover from the foods and drinks you eat are converted to acid. These include juices, pastas, candies and cereals. As a result, the acid starts to attack the enamel on your teeth, causing decay and increasing your risk for gum disease.

From breads and pastas to juices and candies, many of the foods and drinks you consume every day can contribute to plaque buildup on your teeth. This doesn't mean you have to avoid your favorite foods all together, but you should be mindful of the quantity and frequency in which these foods and beverages are consumed. Healthy food choices include firm fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, nuts, milk and water that stimulate the flow of saliva and help protect tooth enamel from decay. Your Ann Arbor dentist can help you determine the most suitable nutrition plan for both your body and your mouth's needs.

Managing Your Sweet Tooth

It's not always easy to turn down your favorite sweets. When you do indulge, try to eat your sugary foods right after a meal rather than between meals, and remember to brush and floss after to remove the debris and particles leftover on your teeth. When possible, substitute your favorite piece of pie for fresh fruits like apples instead, as this stimulates the gums and increases saliva flow which reduces plaque buildup.

Frequency of Eating

How often you eat also plays a major role in the health of your teeth and gums. Tooth decay is caused by acid attacking the teeth and when the teeth are exposed to acid for extended periods of time, the risk of tooth decay developing greatly increases. Generally each meal we eat affects our teeth, but as long as there is enough time between eating, our teeth can repair themselves and cope with the acid before it causes damage.

Avoid sipping acidic drinks, such as soda, for long periods of time, and try to eat your sugar-filled treats right after a meal. Brushing your teeth after meals with fluoride toothpaste can also help keep your teeth strong, protected and more resistant to acid attacks.

Eating a well-balanced diet can help you achieve a leaner body and a healthier smile. Coupled with good oral hygiene, including routine visits to your dentist in Ann Arbor, a nutritional diet can go a long way to helping prevent cavities and gum disease.

by: Gen Wright

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