Dental

The diet that we adopt not only shapes our over all health. At the same time it, can also affect our dental health. It may be common knowledge that sweet foods can predispose us to dental caries. This is only half the story. A lot of other food sources can predispose us to dental decay. Our diet is a determining factor in our risk of developing dental caries.

The development of dental decay rests upon three important factors. These are plaque, sugary and sticky foods that adhere to the tooth surface, and the acid forming bacteria. The absence of any one factor cannot completely prevent dental caries development. But, the three are co-dependent upon each other. Plaque, a white, thin sticky film that adheres to the tooth surface is the culprit in most gum and dental diseases. The acid-forming bacteria in plaque love to feed on sugars and starches. Therefore, a proper diet low in sugar can reduce a person’s risk of developing dental caries.

Experts suggest the following dietary tips in order to better fight against dental decay:

1. Try to minimize snacking in between meals. Most of us brush our teeth after every meal but very few brush their teeth after snacking. If you are a snack fanatic nibbling sugary and starchy foods in between meals, you are likely feeding decay causing bacteria. This makes you at higher risk of developing dental caries. Stay away from nibbling food every now and then. This will lower your susceptibility to dental caries and provide yourself better dental health. 2. Reduce your consumption of sugary snacks. This will not only promote good over all health but will be beneficial for a person’s dental health as well. Try to eat foods rich in sugar only when you are able to brush your teeth thereafter. If munchies are your kind of snacks, try high-fiber foods including popcorn and fresh fruits. Although these types of foods contain sugars, these do not stick to the teeth as much as confections, and are therefore more dental friendly. 3. Your diet should contain food rich in fiber. Besides adding bulk to the food you eat, a diet rich in fiber helps you cut down on the amount of sugar you eat. Rich fiber foods like fruits and vegetables stimulate saliva production. Saliva acts as a neutralizer against bacteria and provides a natural rinsing action against plaque accumulation on the tooth surfaces. 4. Look out for sticky foods. Sticky foods should not stay long on tooth surfaces. It is not only how sticky the foods are, but also the amount of time these stay on the tooth surface which cause dental cavity formation. The longer these types of foods accumulate on the tooth surface, the higher are their capacity to develop dental caries. If you know that you cannot brush your teeth right away, try to choose less sticky foods. 5. Cheese can be a good way to end a meal. Cheese neutralizes the acidity in the mouth. Lesser acidity means lesser chances for dental caries development.

Finally, sticky foods can stubbornly adhere to tooth surfaces and provide good source of food for acid producing bacteria. Always watch out for very sticky foods like granola bars, sugary cereal, oatmeal chips, potato chips, cream sandwich cookies and peanut butter crackers. Caramel, doughnuts, jellybeans are also sticky foods, which can also hold on well to the teeth. Moderately sticky foods include cream filled sponge cake and white bread. If you cannot brush your teeth right away, try to rinse your mouth with water to dislodge any food particles. Rinsing will also reduce the amount of bacteria present. Adapt a good diet that is friendly to your dental health and be dental caries free.