A well balanced diet is critical in achieving a healthy, beautiful smile. Understanding which foods can increase your risk of dental disease will assist you in making informed decisions on how to optimize your oral health in addition to your overall systemic health.
What is Dental Disease
"Sturdevant's Art and Science of Operative Dentistry, 5th edition" states "Dental caries and periodontal disease are probably the most common chronic diseases in the world." Dental disease commonly occurs from poor oral hygiene, which includes not brushing, flossing, poor dietary habits and not visiting a dentist regularly. Dental disease can manifest as cavities, gum disease and can negatively affect overall health.
How Dental Cavities Form
The mouth has numerous bacteria types. Some bacteria can cause cavities, which are called cariogenic, while bacteria that do not cause cavities are non-cariogenic. Streptococcus mutans is the primary bacteria associated with dental cavities, or caries, according to the text, "Dentistry, Dental Practice and the Community." Saliva is composed of minerals that act as buffers, or remineralize the tooth surfaces against the acidic environment bacteria can create. Throughout the day, a sticky white material full of bacteria called dental plaque will form along the surfaces of the teeth. When the mouth's environment becomes overwhelming acidic, pH 5.5, along with the presence of dental plaque bacteria, the bacteria will begin to produce by-products that dissolve, or demineralize the surface of your tooth, creating a cavity, says the "Sturdevant's" text.
Importance of Diet
It is important to remember that in order to obtain nutrition for the body to function, the nutrients must first enter through the mouth, or oral cavity. The oral cavity is an extremely important gateway to the rest of the body. Eating a well-balanced diet that comprises grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and beans and oils is essential to not only systemic health, but oral health, as well. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that the amounts of each food group needed depend on an individual's gender, age and physical activity.
Foods that Cause Dental Disease
"Dentistry, Dental Practice, and the Community, 6th edition" states, "Sugars and other fermentable carbohydrates are part of the etiologic chain in dental caries." Fermentable carbohydrates "refers to the cooked or milled starches in the refined flours used in making cookies, biscuits, sweet rolls, croissants, and other processed foods." Soft drinks, candies, fruit juices and other foods that contain high amounts of sucrose or other sugars can provide nutrients for Streptococcus mutans bacteria to grow, create an acidic environment in your mouth that demineralizes the teeth, resulting in cavities. An individual who consumes these foods frequently throughout the day is at risk of developing dental disease, in addition to overall health problems.
How to Prevent Dental Disease
Dental disease can be prevented by incorporating several healthy habits into a daily lifestyle. Brushing the teeth with a soft toothbrush twice per day along with flossing once a day will disrupt the formation of dental plaque on the teeth and freshen the breath. Eating a well-balanced diet with limited consumption of sugars, refined carbohydrates and other acidic foods can create an environment that is not conducive for cariogenic bacteria growth.
Chewing gums that contain Xylitol, which is a sugar that is not metabolized by cariogenic bacteria, can increase salivation, leading to remineralization of the tooth surfaces. Regular visits to the dentist can help to identify problems that may detract from a healthy smile.
References
- "Sturdevant's Art and Science of Operative Dentistry, 5th Edition"; Theodore Roberson; 2006
- "Dentistry, Dental Practice, and the Community, 6th Edition"; Brian A. Burt; 2005
- "Jong's Community Dental Health, 5th Edition"; George Gluck; 2003
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Food pyramid
