Diet plays a very important role on your Teeth’s health. As you are here you will probably get to know importance of oral health on your overall well being. Food that we consume has a big impact on our teeth. If you are consuming bad foods then it might throw a dangerous effect on your teeth which will lead to tooth decay cavities and plaque.
Nutrition and diet significantly influence oral health which directly affects the progression of diseases in our oral cavity. Nutrition consists the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and fats while the diet includes the foods we consume each and every day. Food can be classified as GOOD and BAD for our oral health.
Before discussing the BAD foods for your teeth and oral cavity , lets have a look at the GOOD foods that are necessary to maintain a good oral health overall. Some quality foods may be listed as:
- Dairy products such as cheese and milk, these foods contain calcium which is an important for healthy teeth. Calcium is good for bones as well as tooth enamel as it is the main component of hydroxyapetite mineral which strengthens the tooth.
- Green leafy vegetables like spinach are the fiber rich foods which are also very important for the oral health.
- Citrus foods that are fruits rich in vitamin C help in maintaining good gum health.
- Drinking water after frequent intervals can also contribute for oral health as it helps to wash off acids and sugars which are bad for teeth also it contains fluoride which helps to prevent from harmful bacterias, helps in remineralization of weekend enamel and also reverses the early signs of tooth decay.
Bad foods for our teeth can be categorized as:
A. SUGAR:
Our mouth consists of various bacteria’s; some are beneficial some are harmful. Sugar that we consume feeds the harmful bacteria which releases acid and causes demineralization of enamel leading to cavities followed by different bacterial infection in oral cavity.
The foods such as sweets, candies, mostly the chewy eatables such as caramel, hard candies like lollipops, chocolates, desserts such as cakes, cookies, pies etc. These foods are mostly irresistible but are harmful as they stick to our teeth and contains sugar that is very harmful for teeth health.
B. BEVERAGES
Various soft drinks, sports drinks, alcoholic drinks etc has high sugar content and may have acidic impact on the teeth which is unfavorable for oral health. Many of the drinks consists of SODA which is itself is very acidic and has a direct effect on tooth surface causing tooth decay.
Tea and coffee drinks can stain your teeth overtime. It also contains sugar. All the sweetened drinks are bad as they cause enamel breakdown with progression of dental caries and other periodontal problems.
C. VINEGAR
Vinegar is an active ingredient in pickles. It has acid which contributes in pickling process which gives it a taste. This acid is hazardous can cause enamel wear off.
D. STARCHY FOODS
Starchy foods may include breads, chips, pasta, crackers etc. they are refined carbohydrates. If they stay for longer duration in our mouth, it produces bacteria which again can affect the tooth health.
As above listed we got to know some bad foods for our teeth, these foods should be minimized from our diet to maintain a good oral health. A good nutrition and diet is very important to keep teeth healthy and happy.
Maintaining a good oral hygiene and getting regular dental checkups at Dr. RAJAT SACHDEVA’S DENTAL INSTITUTE, we can help you out with all the dental problems and educate you about good and bad food habits as we want you to have happy and healthy teeth.
