We Are What We Eat: What Dietary Decisions Lead to Healthy Teeth

We think so frequently about how our food choices will impact our waistline. What about our smile? Our teeth are parts of our body, just like our bellies, behinds, and thighs. They’re also the part of our body that comes into direct contact with the food we eat. And yet so few of us think actively about how our dietary choices impact the appearance and health of our teeth.

In this article, we take a look at how nutrition influences oral health—and what you can do to protect your smile from the inside out.

Is Sugar Really the Enemy?

The idea that sugar will rot your teeth is so common, any five-year-old could remind you of it—even as they stuff their faces with Halloween candy. But how true is this, and why is it so?

To begin with, the statement that eating lots of sugar can cause tooth decay and cavities is correct—even if it’s factually incomplete.

The sugar itself does nothing at all to your teeth. It’s your body that’s the problem. Your mouth is full of acids that break down food particles.

These acids love to feed on sugar, so when sugar settles on your teeth, your body’s natural acids begin to consume it.

Unfortunately, it seems like mouth acid is a sloppy and not necessarily discerning eater. Sometimes it will take some of your teeth with it.

If this happens enough times, it results in decay and cavities. So, while sugar is not a healthy dietary or cosmetic choice, it can be safely consumed by those willing to brush shortly after eating sweets.

Final verdict on sugar? Not the best choice—but permissible on occasion, and safe with the proper precautions.

Staining Agents

Staining agents like coffee and red wine do not necessarily harm your teeth’s health, but they are notorious for doing cosmetic damage. This is something people begin to worry about with greater emphasis the older they get.

Do you need to cut coffee and wine out of your life to look pretty when you smile?

Well, this begs another question: if you cut all of your favorite things out, what will you have to smile about anyway?

It is true that dark foods and drinks can leave their mark on the teeth. However, you can fight back against this primarily by having a good oral hygiene routine. Brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash three times a day will take care of most of the work.

If you’re still not seeing the results you want, talk to your dentist. While they might recommend cutting back on staining agents, they could also have other tips that allow you to live more freely—without sacrificing the things you love.

Get Your Calcium

Calcium helps repair damage and prevent decay. It does this by strengthening your tooth enamel, which is the outermost layer that protects your smile from cavities and other dental issues.

Calcium is best ingested through diet, particularly alongside vitamin D, which aids in digestion and helps your body absorb the mineral more effectively. You can find ample quantities of calcium in many dairy products. It is also, in some cases, added to other foods or beverages as a way of further enhancing your tooth and bone health.

How much calcium should you be consuming? The average recommendation is around 1,000 milligrams a day—which may sound more inaccessible than it actually is. We’re talking about several servings of dairy consumed throughout the day. That could mean some yogurt for breakfast, cheese for lunch, a glass of milk for dinner, etc.

You don’t need to go crazy eating foods that came into this world by way of a cow, but you should be deliberate. When you’re not hitting your calcium requirements through diet, it’s a good idea to look for supplements that can take you the rest of the way.

And again, remember that vitamin D will ensure your calcium intake is as efficient as possible. You can get that through the most natural of resources: the sun.

Consult with a Dentist For Dietary Tips

Want more insights? Speak with your dentist about what you can do—through diet and routine—to improve your oral health proactively.

Proactive is such a keyword in this context. You don’t want to be constantly adjusting your oral health habits in response to issues that come (and they do come) with age. What you do want is a set of habits that can help you enjoy a healthy smile effortlessly—and without much thought.

At IntegratedDental we help patients optimize their oral hygiene routines to meet all of their needs. Schedule an appointment today.