We often go on and off diets throughout the year but did you know dieting can have harmful effects on our dental health? Research is mounting about a direct connection between our general health and our dental health. Below you will find useful tips to follow when dieting to maintain your beautiful smile.
Direct Connection Between Dental Health And General Health
-Do Not Graze. Depending on the diet and your cravings you may tend to eat smaller meals throughout the day. Every time we eat a meal or a snack, we are bombarding our mouths with acids, sugars, and possible staining foods and drink. If grazing is part of your diet it is important to brush, rinse, and floss more often. This will help neutralize your oral cavity to prevent development of tooth decay and periodontal disease. A good tip is to have what are called scrubber foods like celery as part of your meal. This will naturally clean your teeth while eating.
-Watch Your Drink. Many diets include using juice mixtures or even smoothies. These are easy ways to get fruits and vegetables into our systems. It is important to note these same healthy drinks can be high in sugars and acids. This can be a double whammy on our oral health. A third thing to look out for is staining of our teeth as many of these ingredients have strong pigments which can darken our teeth over time. An excellent tip when juicing or drinking smoothies is to use a straw to allow the sugars and acids to pass your teeth. It is also important to routinely rinse with water.
-Choose Food And Drink Wisely. Many choose diet soda to kill the cravings of dieting. However, diet soda may be low in sugar content but high in acidic content. The acids can be very difficult on our teeth. Once again, drink through a straw to help avoid exposure. Another tip is to be aware of the dangers of many diet friendly snacks like dried fruit which can stick to our teeth leading to increased tooth decay.
-Keep Hydrated With Water. Drinking water throughout the day will make you feel fuller and help your diet but it will also maintain a neutral balance in your oral environment.
-Ensure You Are Getting Proper Vitamins And Minerals. We often overlook the balance in our diet when dieting. This can create a deficit in our vitamin and mineral intake. To remain healthy it is important to get the right balance of vitamins and minerals into our bodies.
Dieting And Oral Health Conclusion
It is important to remember there is a definite connection between general health and our dental health. If we are able to maintain the proper balance we will live happier, fuller lives full of smiles.
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