A Well-Balanced Diet Leads to a Healthy Smile

A Well-Balanced Diet Leads to a Healthy Smile

A Well-Balanced Diet Leads to a Healthy Smile

What you eat is significant to your overall health, as well as your
dental health. Foods that contain sugars of any kind can contribute
to tooth decay. Almost all foods, including milk and vegetables, have
some type of sugar. This doesn’t mean that you should eliminate all
foods that contain sugar from your diet because many of them
contain important nutrients. To help control the amount of sugar you
consume, read food labels and choose foods and beverages that are
low in added sugars. Added sugars are found in soft drinks, candy,
cookies and pastries. You can maintain a balanced diet by including
food from the four major food groups

Avoid snacks high in sugar and carbohydrates!

Foods that tend to stick to teeth like peanut butter, caramel, and honey are well known for destroying teeth
and gums. The sugars in these foods provide bacteria with energy to grow, reproduce, and create enamel-
eating acid which destroys teeth. When these foods get stuck to the teeth, bacteria cannot be cleared out by
chewing and swallowing.
The key to preventing bacteria from destroying teeth and gums is to avoid having sugar in the mouth for
extended periods of time. Limit the number of snacks that you eat. Each time you eat foods that contain
sugars, acids attack the teeth for 20 minutes or more. When you snack, choose dentally healthy foods such as
nuts, raw vegetables, plain yogurt, cheese and sugarless gum or candy, and refrain from sipping sugary drinks.
Consuming sugary foods with a meal or for dessert has a less de
trimental effect, because increased saliva flow
during meals helps to wash foods from the mouth and lessens the effects of acids. When you eat foods such
as crackers, cookies and chips, eat them as part of your meal, instead of by themselves. Combinations of foods
neutralize acids in the mouth and slow down tooth decay. For example, enjoy cheese with your crackers. Your
snack will be just as satisfying and better for your dental health.
When you do eat meals or snacks containing large amounts of sugars, carbohydrates, or “sticky” foods which
tend to get stuck to teeth, make sure to follow the meal with water to help wash off food particles remaining
on teeth. If possible, brush your teeth immediately after each meal with fluoride toothpaste