Even if you’re diligent about brushing and flossing every day, the foods that you eat and vitamins and minerals that you take in can have a significant impact on the health of your teeth and gums. With a conscious diet, routine preventive care from your dentist in McMinnville, and great at-home oral hygiene, you’ll be able to enjoy your natural smile for decades to come. Read on to learn more about how your diet can impact your oral health.
The Problem With Sugary Snacks
If you have a sweet tooth, you understand how hard it is to turn down some of your favorite sugary snacks at the grocery store. While it’s not bad for you to eat these in moderation, regularly snacking on these products can cause issues for your oral health down the road. Being mindful of your consumption of sugars and carbohydrates can help you avoid problems like gum disease and cavities.
As you chew food, harmful oral bacteria and debris combine with your saliva to form a sticky film called plaque. Within the plaque, the bacteria feeds off of the sugars and carbohydrates found in the food debris. This allows them to produce waste in the form of toxins and acid that can erode your tooth enamel and cause early signs of gum disease, such as inflammation and bleeding.
Snacking Smart Can Protect Your Oral Health
Because sugars and carbohydrates help fuel harmful oral bacteria, it’s a good idea to limit your intake of these substances and substitute alternatives such as fresh fruits and vegetables. As you chew fibrous fresh vegetables, they act as a natural toothbrush and scrub away plaque from your teeth, reducing your risk of bacteria buildup.
If you do regularly snack on sweets, be sure to stay hydrated with water to rinse away sugar from the biting surface of your teeth or brush and floss your teeth afterward. The longer that sugar and carbohydrates are left to settle on your teeth, the more likely it is that cavities will form.
Vitamins & Minerals To Boost Gum Health
If you don’t get many vitamins or minerals in your daily diet, it’s a good idea to consider eating more of certain foods or taking supplements to help protect your gums from infection. This is an easy and simple way to boost your oral health. Be sure to include these key ingredients in your daily diet:
- Calcium: Found in cheese, yogurt, milk, and other dairy products, calcium helps strengthen tooth enamel and the jawbone.
- Vitamin D: Your body naturally makes this vitamin when exposed to sunlight, but it can also be acquired by eating fatty fish and portabella mushrooms. It helps boost bone density.
- Vitamin K: This can be found in leafy greens and helps prevent jawbone deterioration.
- Vitamin C: Found in potatoes, fruits, and vegetables, vitamin C helps protect your gums from disease.
- Vitamin A: Egg yolks, liver, fish, and leafy greens all contain vitamin A, which helps prevent dry mouth by keeping mucous membranes healthy.
If you have any additional questions about how your diet can impact the health of your teeth and gums, don’t hesitate to ask your dentist in McMinnville during your next checkup and cleaning. With the right preventive measures in place paired with regular professional dental care, you can enjoy a problem-free smile for years to come.
About the Author
Dr. Natalya Ramsay strives to create an environment for her patients to feel comfortable, relaxed, and well cared-for. She focuses on thorough preventive dental care that helps tackle small problems before they have a chance to progress into something more serious. She regularly continues her education by sharpening her skills in a variety of dental specialties, including pediatric care, surgical treatment, cosmetic dentistry, and root canal therapy. For questions or to schedule a routine checkup and cleaning, visit Evans Street Dental’s website or call 503-472-1402.