Cosmetic Dentistry
How Your Diet Can Affect Your Oral Health
29
Jul
Jul
Nutrition is vital for your overall health, and the food you eat significantly impacts your oral health.
Eating a balanced diet and maintaining good oral hygiene habits are essential for keeping your teeth and gums healthy.
Poor oral hygiene and diet can lead to tooth decay and gum disease, which send you on a spiral of the inability to chew and eat properly and begins a cycle of malnutrition. While nutrition and oral health are independent, they also affect each other.
An Australian Dental Association (ADA) report found:
- 47% of Australian adults eat too much sugar.
- Children drink 2-5 soda’s a week, according to 39% of parents.
- 75% of adults never or rarely clean or floss between their teeth.
With these statistics in mind, we look at how your food choices can significantly affect oral health.
01
Surprising Foods That Impact Your Oral Health
Your mind automatically thinks sugar is the primary concern for your oral health, and while it is, other foods surprisingly aren’t great for your teeth.
- Foods with starch
It’s probably the last type of food you would consider harmful to your oral health. Starchy foods aren’t bad for you, but foods like bread get stuck between teeth and act like sugar.
- Hard foods
Hard foods, especially nuts, ice, and boiled lollies, can chip or break teeth. This type of damage usually results in needing dental care. If you continue these habits and don’t seek a dentist’s expertise, you will experience further issues with those chipped or broken teeth.
- Citrus
We’re sure it’s the last food source you expected to see on this list, but it exposes your teeth and gums to acid that can erode enamel which causes decay. It’s not an unhealthy food item but requires you to take care of your teeth when you consume them.
- Alcohol
If you drink alcohol regularly, you may experience a dry mouth. This, in turn, can cause gum disease and other oral infections. When ingested excessively, drinking alcohol can put you at risk of oral cancer.
- Juices & energy drinks
Along with other sugary treats like lollies, icecreams and other delicious treats, many don’t realise that fruit juices and energy drinks are full of refined sugar. These drinks stick to teeth and, in turn, cause decay.
02
How To Keep Your Smile Healthy With the Food You Eat
At The Smile Designer, we know how critical good oral care is, including considering what foods and ensuring you have variety. There are plenty of foods you can consume that are kinder on your teeth than the eats mentioned above.
- Drink water
In Australia, water is fluoride-rich and helps prevent tooth decay. Your oral health will benefit from sipping on water throughout the day rather than soft drinks or juices.
- Limit snack foods
Limiting your snacking will help prevent oral health issues because saliva works to neutralise acids and prevent tooth decay. Eating a lot of snacks doesn’t give your teeth respite from acid attacks.
- Make wise food choices
Choose fruits, vegetables, and cheeses and regularly eat whole grains, lean meats, and legumes. Eating from each food group and limiting sweet snacks give your teeth and gums a better chance of being healthy.
- Chew sugar-free gum
While it may not be considered the best dietary habit, chewing gum, as long as it’s sugar-free for up to twenty minutes after a meal, c
03
What To Do if Your Teeth Are Already Damaged
If your teeth are already damaged, a family dentist can still be of help. From here onwards, you can visit your dental clinic for regular appointments to manage any ongoing issues and prevent further cavities, staining, or gum disease.
Without keeping up with dental clinic appointments, you’ll likely experience oral disease, especially if you don’t regularly clean or floss your teeth.
Any damage can always be managed by one of the dentists at The Smile Designer. We offer a selection of cosmetic and general dentistry in Melbourne that can restore your smile. These include:
- Dental veneers
- Porcelain crowns
- All-on-4 dental implants
- Fillings
- And more!
Ask us how we can help you with any treatment you need.
04
Tips for Taking Good Care of Your Teeth
Dental care is essential for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Between trips to your family dentist, here are some tips for taking good care of your teeth:
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss your teeth at least once a day.
- Eat a balanced diet with foods rich in calcium and vitamins.
- Avoid sugary snacks and drinks.
- Rinse your mouth with water after eating or drinking anything with acid.
- See your family dentist for regular checkups and thorough cleaning.
05
Choose The Smile Designer for Best Oral Health
At The Smile Designer, our dentists encourage parents to encourage children to eat a balanced diet and regularly brush and floss their teeth. This helps create good habits and gives young teeth a healthy start.
It starts with making the right choices to ensure your teeth are well looked after. This means choosing the apple over the donut and brushing your teeth at least twice daily. It’s also about not being afraid to get any decay checked or visiting your dentist a couple of times a year for a thorough cleaning and checkup.
The little habits are what ensure less invasive work needs to be performed to give you a healthy smile. Aside from this, finding the right balance also gives your whole self the chance to prevent other non-dental diseases.
If you’re concerned about your oral health, we welcome new and existing patients to Contact our team or make an online booking. Our cosmetic and general dentists genuinely care about helping you transform your oral health into a positive experience.
