Choosing a Mouth-Healthy Diet

One of the most important things you can do to maintain proper dental care in Bel Air, MD is to eat nutritious foods that improve your oral health rather than detract from it. Your dentist has probably stressed the importance of maintaining a proper oral hygiene routine to avoid tooth decay and the need for tooth extraction. Your meal and snack choices are just as important as brushing and flossing when it comes to maintaining oral health. Keep reading to learn more about choosing foods that are healthy for your whole body—including your teeth.

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The Relationship between Sugar and Tooth Decay

Tooth decay occurs when the plaque that builds up around your teeth and mouth comes into contact with sugar from the foods that you eat. This interaction can cause acid to eat away at the teeth, forming harmful cavities. Eating a non-nutritious diet high in sugary foods can even affect your immune system, making it more difficult for your body to fight off infection and leading to oral health conditions such as gingivitis, advanced periodontal disease, and eventual tooth loss. Fortunately, tooth decay is preventable. In addition to a good dental care regimen including brushing your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice daily, flossing every day, and making regular visits to a dentist, you should eat a healthy diet and avoid added sugars in order to help keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy.

How to Choose Nutritious Foods

In order to choose nutritious foods for a healthy diet, be sure to read the nutrition facts and ingredients list for all processed foods that you purchase. This will help you avoid choosing products that are high in hidden sugars and that may not provide you with many vitamins or minerals. The most obvious culprits are candy, cookies, and pastries. Don’t forget to take into account what you drink as well. Soft drinks and juices typically contain an abundance of added sugar, and even some dairy products contain sugars that can cause tooth decay if they are consumed too often.