Two of the most common oral health problems in the world are cavities and gum disease. Did you know that you can reduce your risk of dealing with both of these simply by changing your eating habits? It’s obviously important to brush, floss, and rinse as well, but nutrition plays just as big of a role in the wellbeing of your oral health as brushing and flossing. How often you eat, what you eat, and what you do before and after you eat can all have an effect on the health of your mouth – which leads us to the next question!
What Can I Do to Improve My Oral Health Through Nutrition?
For starters, eating a well-balanced diet can make a huge impact in your oral health, not to mention your overall health. It’s important to eat as many fruits and vegetables as you can. Eating vegetables that are rich in fiber and high in water content helps to stimulate saliva, which washes away bacteria in your mouth. Bread and other carbohydrates are okay as long as you eat them in moderation. Since carbs are just complex sugars, they eventually break down and cause plaque and bacteria buildup. We advise that you avoid simple sugars (candy, gummy snacks, etc) altogether.
Adding more water to your diet can also help to improve your oral health. Your body needs about 64 fluid ounces of water per day to function optimally. Giving it even more will keep you well-hydrated and feeling good. Water, much like saliva, helps to rinse away any bacteria or plaque that builds up in your mouth after eating. If you don’t have immediate access to a toothbrush and toothpaste after eating, you can always rinse with a little bit of water to get at least a similar effect.
Eat fewer snack foods. Snacking isn’t totally verboten, but we suggest limiting your snacks. If you do decide to snack, try to make sure that your snacking on healthy foods. Vegetables or fruit and cheese makes a great afternoon snack. Additionally, the cheese will give you a boost of calcium, which is good for teeth and bone strength!
Talk to Your Catonsville Dentist
Taking good care of your oral health (and overall health) is essential to living a long, robust life. If you haven’t established an oral health care routine yet or you’d like to talk to a dental professional about the best way to take care of your oral health, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your Catonsville dentist! please contact Affinity Dental Associates by calling 410-719-7900 or visit MarylandsBestDentists.com today to learn more about nutrition for oral health!
Our doctors and staff are dedicated to improving your dental health!
Most people experience it. That day that you go to the dentist and hear those words that you’ve been avoiding since you were 18: you need your wisdom teeth out. Although you may not want to deal with having your wisdom teeth out, it can make you much more comfortable, especially if you have one ore more impacted wisdom teeth. You may find out that your wisdom teeth are impacted during your routine checkup, but many people start experiencing symptoms before their regular visit. Since one of the symptoms is pain, it’s best to know what you’re up against in the meantime. If you’re showing any combination of the following symptoms, it may be time to go see your Catonsville dentist for wisdom teeth removal.
We’re not going to make you dig through this whole post to find out what the secret to straighter teeth is – we’re going to tell you pretty straight up: 