How A Balanced Diet Can Protect Your Teeth

What you eat each day matters not just for your gut but also for your teeth! Eating a balanced diet can reduce the chance of developing various diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and irritable bowel syndrome. However, what you put into your body also affects your oral health in ways that you’d least expect. But as the convenience of eating healthy food becomes more challenging for many to do, it’s essential to focus on each meal’s main food groups. Finding nutrient-rich foods is worth the costs long-term because the foods we eat directly impact how our mouths react overtime. Even research backs up this claim!

How Your Mouth, Body, and Health Connect

Often, your mouth contains various clues to indicate what your health is like, what nutrients you’re missing, and what you need to do to improve your health. The body contains numerous natural defenses against disease-causing bacteria and has its giant microsystem of bacteria to aid in the body’s natural process. But for preventing disease, your mouth presents the entry point harmful bacteria to develop over time and potentially harm the digestive system and respiratory system. When out of control, harmful strains of bacteria can enter our system and contribute to diseases that impair the body’s ability to react to those conditions and impact the immune system.

Even while your physician can prescribe medications to help prevent diseases, good oral care can greatly improve your health over the long term. Bacteria often collects in the mouth, and many strains of bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans cause inflammation. These strains are also often linked to inflammatory diseases, leading people to become more prone to chronic conditions that develop later in life. Long-term oral care needs to be taken into every aspect of our health, and that includes diet.

How To Begin A Balanced Diet For Your Oral Health

Gum disease, tooth decay, and cavities often result from a huge intake of carbohydrates and processed sugars. Carbohydrates are typically a primary source of fuel for harmful bacteria and are considered cariogenic by nature. However, carbohydrates are also considered the body’s main energy source because of how glucose is processed by our cells within the metabolism. Studies from StatPearls study the dynamic process of consumption and digestion and heavily encourage the consumption of highly nutritious foods to maintain oral health. Healthy foods increase saliva production, maintain calcium deposits, and reduce the risk of dental diseases. If you wish to begin eating a balanced diet, we highly recommend the following:

• Focus on Dairy Products with High Calcium
• Eating Foods High In Vitamin D, A, and C
• High Fiber Vegetables and Fruits
• Lean Proteins and Low-Fat Meals
• Drink Fluoridated Water

Most of all, avoid processed foods that contain large amounts of sugar and salt, as these ingredients often negatively impact our teeth and leave them more vulnerable to disease.

By reducing processed foods, maintaining good oral hygiene, and visiting your dentist regularly, you can give your body the nutrients it needs to prevent chronic disease and live a longer, freer life.