It has long been known
that good nutrition and a well-balanced diet is one of the best defenses for
your oral health. Providing your body with
the right amounts of vitamins and minerals helps your teeth and gums—as well as
your immune system—stay strong and ward off infection, decay and disease.
Harmful acids and bacteria in your mouth are left behind from
eating foods high in sugar and carbohydrates. These include carbonated
beverages, some kinds of fruit juices, and many kinds of starch foods like
pasta, bread and cereal.
Children’s
Nutrition and Teeth
Good eating habits that begin in early childhood can go a long
way to ensuring a lifetime of good oral health.
Children should eat foods rich in calcium and other kinds of
minerals, as well as a healthy balance of the essential food groups like
vegetables, fruits, dairy products, poultry and meat. Fluoride supplements may
be helpful if you live in a community without fluoridated water, but consult
with our office first. (Be aware that sugars are even found in some kinds of
condiments, as well as fruits and even milk.)
Allowing your children to eat excessive amounts of junk food
(starches and sugars)—including potato chips, cookies, crackers, soda,
artificial fruit rollups and granola bars—only places them at risk for serious
health problems, including obesity, osteoporosis and diabetes. The carbonation
found in soda, for example, can actually erode tooth enamel. Encourage your
child to use a straw when drinking soda; this will help keep at least some of
the carbonated beverage away from the teeth.
Adult
Nutrition and Teeth
There’s no discounting the importance of continuing a healthy
balanced diet throughout your adult life.