FEED YOUR TEETH WELL
Nutrition is an important part of your overall oral health. While most patients realize that good nutrition is essential for their total health, many do not understand that its dental significance goes far beyond just avoiding sweets to prevent tooth decay.
During development, both in the womb and during childhood, adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is critical for the proper development of healthy jawbones and teeth. A pregnant mother's intake of these nutrients is crucial for ideal development of her baby's oral structures. Calcium builds strong bones and teeth, and vitamin D is essential for the efficient utilization of calcium in the diet. Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, or cheese are excellent sources of calcium, and pasteurized milk is often fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D is also available in multivitamins. Bone is renewable like hair or skin, but teeth do not regenerate after their initial formation. A broken bone can heal, but broken teeth need to be repaired with man-made materials. Studies have shown that even a mild episode of malnutrition with calcium deficiency in the first year of life will predispose individuals to increased rates of decay in both their baby and permanent teeth.
Good nutrition is also vital to maintaining oral health as an adult. Since your jawbones do renew themselves, adequate calcium and vitamin D in your diet is a necessity. Inadequate dietary levels of these nutrients can cause loss of jawbone around your teeth. This is particularly true of women who suffer from osteoporosis. Vitamin C and protein are needed for the maintenance of connective, gum and bone tissue. A lack of these nutrients in the diet can be a contributing factor in periodontal disease. Fruits are a good source of vitamin C, while meat, fish and poultry can provide proteins, as do soy and egg whites. Vitamin B deficiency can cause an inflammation of the corners of your mouth called angular cheilosis. Red meat contains ample vitamin B. Also remember that a multivitamin can furnish you with many of these elements when dietary preferences or lifestyle choices prevent you from eating the foods listed.
Your diet is also a way of preventing certain specific ailments from affecting your mouth. Bacteria digest carbohydrates, including starches and simple sugars in your mouth (everyone who has teeth has these bacteria in their mouths) that then produce acid. This acid eats away at your teeth in a process known as tooth decay, dental caries or more commonly - "cavities". By reducing basic carbohydrates (especially sweets) in your diet, you significantly lower your risk for tooth decay. When making food choices, be sure to read the labels of what you buy. Foods that you might least expect can contain remarkable amounts of sugar. Diet also has a bearing on your chances of developing oral cancer, which has one of the lowest cure rates of any form of the disease. Studies have shown that increased amounts of dietary fruit have a protective effect against oral cancer. Research has also shown that excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages elevates your oral cancer risk, so drink only in moderation. Diets overly geared to raw vegetables, which can be quite coarse, may cause undue wear of the teeth.
In short, a sensible diet with adequate amounts of the primary nutrients will help ensure your mouth stays healthy throughout your lifetime.