The Impact of Your Diet on Your Dental Health

Do you struggle with the common dilemma of whether to buy and eat organic foods or pesticide-laden foods? You may have your own reasons for choosing an organic diet, but do you know that consuming organic food can positively impact your dental health?

That just may be one more reason to buy that organic apple versus that GMO, non-organic apple at your local grocery store.

Connections between an organic diet and your dental health

A couple years ago, there was a factual article published online by Naturally Savvy™, a company whose focus is on natural and organic living. They looked into a bunch of research results in order to write their informative post.

They talk about how organic foods contain more calcium, minerals, and vitamins compared to non-organic milk. That is mainly because the cows eat an organic diet, which allows them to consume the proper type and amount of nutrients they need in order to produce the healthiest milk for us.

And we all know that calcium is very important for healthy teeth, but why not choose organic versus non-organic milk the next time you’re in the dairy aisle?

In addition to organic milk, it’s also a smart idea (for the sake of your teeth and gums) to eat organic vegetables and fruits. You may already know that commercial non-organic food producers typically use pesticides and artificial fertilizers to prolong the so-called “freshness.” But those pesticides aren’t helping your teeth and gums at all.

As a matter of fact, some scientists in the UK proved that certain organic vegetables and fruits have approximately 20% more Vitamin C than non-organic. Your teeth and gums also need Vitamin C for great, long-term dental health.

Can some dental problems be linked to your diet?

Some researchers believe that a person’s poor diet and nutritional problems are linked to certain dental issues, such as tooth decay and gum disease.

As a matter of fact, gum disease (and periodontal disease) occurs because of a bacterial infection that can access the entire human body through the bloodstream. Eating a healthy diet (and getting checked for periodontal disease) can help to promote healthy teeth and gums so you can lessen your chances of gum disease.

Foods and beverages that promote great dental health

Regardless of whether you’re cooking for yourself or making your 10-year-old daughter’s lunch, it is important to choose the best foods and snacks. For the purpose of this blog post, we are going to focus on the best foods and snacks that promote healthy teeth and gums.

According to the American Dental Association® and Mouth Healthy™ the following foods and beverages are recommended:

• leafy greens
• almonds
• plain yogurt
• milk
• cheese
• poultry
• fish
• eggs
• fruits
• vegetables
• water

Your goal: to consume healthy food options to protect the tooth enamel and avoid tooth decay.

For good oral health, avoid these foods and beverages

Furthermore, it is recommended to avoid foods, snacks, and beverages that contain added sugar and sugar substitutes (ingredients typically ending in -ose).

Such foods contain any of these ingredients: high fructose corn syrup, glucose, brown sugar, evaporated cane juice, and much more.

Foods containing these harmful ingredients include: sports drinks, candy, cakes, pies, and much more.

Do yourself and your dental health a favor by reading the ingredients section every time you purchase something from the grocery store.

Learn to make healthy cooking choices for healthy teeth and gums

Random question: do you eat baked potatoes? Do you eat baked potatoes loaded with butter? What if we told you there is a better alternative to butter that can also help promote healthy teeth and gums…would you try it?

That better alternative is coconut oil. Coconut oil has been found to kill “unfriendly bacteria” (bacteria that can cause tooth decay and other dental problems) in the body and in the mouth.

So the next time you’re eating a baked potato, reach for the coconut oil instead of butter.

Integrative dentists care about whole body health and oral health

Many dentists (especially integrative dentists like Dr. Forester at Lifetime Smiles) are aware of the strong association between a healthy body and a disease-free mouth.

Our dental practice approaches dentistry using a wellness model instead of a repair model (like most dentists use). A wellness model allows us to find the root cause of a dental problem and seek to fix it, rather than simply repairing the problem. We try our very best to treat the health of our patients instead of just placing a filling to fix a cavity.

We believe you and your family will be happy with our approach to dentistry. We will take the time to develop a relationship with you as our patient, and to teach you about your health, rather than telling you what you should or shouldn’t do.

Choose to be healthy—your teeth and gums will thank you!

We all make conscious choices every single day about what we eat and drink. Do yourself and your oral health a favor— choose a healthy, organic diet filled with fruits, vegetables, and other foods we mentioned.

As always, it’s a good idea to also promote great oral health by visiting your dentist 2 times per year (once every 6 months). If you have any questions or you’d like to schedule your teeth cleaning appointment, Lifetime Smiles will be more than happy to help you.

Posted by Lifetime Smiles
9590 Medlock Bridge Rd, Suite F, Johns Creek, GA 30097
Phone: 678-730-6754