When it comes to the health of your mouth, there is more to think about than just brushing your teeth each day. What goes into your mouth plays a huge role in your oral health. While many people tend to focus on how the foods and beverages they eat affect their waistlines, it is often overlooked how your diet affects your oral health.
Your mouth is the gateway to your entire body, and your body is a complex and highly intricate machine. When one part of the body is unhealthy or injured, it can affect the health and comfort of the rest of the body. Your mouth is no exception to this. In fact, the health of your mouth can determine the health of your heart, your kidneys, how people with diabetes live day to day, and pregnancy. Your diet plays a significant role in many health concerns, and cleaning up your diet can literally clean up your mouth.
Inside every mouth live millions of bacteria. While this sounds gross, these bacteria are meant to be helpful because their main job is to break down food particles left behind after eating and drinking. However, these bacteria quickly go from helpful to harmful when they begin producing acids in order to assist them in their endeavors. Acids are what eat holes in the tooth enamel – known as cavities – and what cause gum disease to develop. The most important thing to know about these acids is that they are most attracted to the sugars in the foods and beverages that you consume. Bacteria will congregate in extreme numbers where sugary bits are left behind after enjoying a soda or dessert, and they will produce an incredible amount of acid in a short amount of time. By limiting your sugar intake, you can greatly reduce the amount of acid that is produced inside your mouth on a daily basis.
A healthy diet (for both the body and the mouth) consists of the following:
- Whole grains
- Fresh fruits and vegetables in their natural states (not baked into a dessert!)
- Lean sources of protein
- Dry beans
- Legumes
- Low-fat dairy products
At Gainesville Dental Group, we want to partner with all of our patients in order to help you achieve and maintain a healthy smile for life. The benefits of brushing your teeth are undermined if you are choosing to eat a diet that is high in sugar. Making healthy dietary choices on a regular basis will promote optimal oral health – which benefits the entire body.
Posted on behalf of Gainesville Dental Group
