4 Ways to Improve Your Dental Health Through Diet Changes
Posted on: 22 March 2023
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Eating healthy is not only good for your overall health, but it's also essential for keeping your teeth and gums healthy too. If you want to improve your dental health, you should start by looking at what's on your plate. Here are four ways that changing up your diet can help improve your dental health.
1. Reduce Sugary Foods and Drinks
Sugary foods and drinks are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to cavities and tooth decay. Bacteria in your mouth feed off the sugar, producing an acid byproduct that erodes the enamel of your teeth and leads to decay. Cutting back on sugary foods and beverages helps keep these bacteria at bay and protects your teeth from damage.
2. Increase Fibre and Protein Intake
Fibre-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, whole grains and legumes are great for promoting dental health because they help increase saliva production in the mouth, which washes away plaque-causing bacteria. Protein-rich foods like lean meats, eggs, yoghurt and cheese are also beneficial because they contain phosphorus which helps strengthen tooth enamel.
3. Avoid Acidic Foods and Beverages
Highly acidic foods like citrus fruits can cause erosion of tooth enamel over time — this includes orange juice as well. Be sure to balance out these types of food items with other less acidic options during mealtime or choose low-acid varieties instead (such as diluted orange juice). Similarly, carbonated beverages like soda should be avoided due to their high levels of acidity; look for healthier alternatives like coconut water or kombucha instead.
4. Cut Back on Alcohol and Tobacco Products
Alcohol consumption increases the risk of gum disease, while tobacco products can lead to discoloured teeth, gum disease and oral cancer. Limiting how much alcohol you drink each day and avoiding tobacco products altogether will help keep your dental health in check.
Summary
By taking small steps towards improving your diet, you can make big strides toward increasing the longevity of your dental health. Start by reducing sugary items from your diet and replacing them with fibre-rich choices like vegetables, whole grains and legumes, which have been shown to promote overall oral health. Additionally, increasing your intake of fluoridated food items will help protect against cavities while avoiding highly acidic foods/beverages along with alcohol/tobacco products will ward off other common oral hygiene issues such as gum disease or discolouration of teeth. For more info, contact a dentist today.