Introduction

According to Iqaluit Dental Clinic, what you eat and how often you eat can have a significant impact on your overall oral health. It simply means that your oral health is dependent on your diet. Most people understand that eating sugary foods and drinks can deteriorate their oral health and they don’t realize how different types of food affect their oral hygiene.

The Discussion

Let’s look at a few points that will help you understand the connection between your diet and oral health:

  1. What causes tooth decay and cavities – Cavities or tooth decay is one of the most common oral health problems that people experience and it is connected to the type of food you consume on a regular basis and your dental care routine.

Generally, when you consume frequently savoury snacks and food that contain too many carbohydrates such as potato chips, pretzels, cookies, candies, cakes, and more, it allows the bad bacteria in your mouth to feed on them and damage your teeth.

If you don’t brush properly after every meal or snack, the bad bacteria can feast on the food particles stuck to your teeth and convert them into acids that damage the enamel of your teeth and cause cavities.

  1. Foods that improve your oral health – Foods that are rich in calcium and phosphorous are extremely beneficial for your teeth and important for maintaining healthy gums and strong teeth. These include milk, cheese, meat, nuts, and green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli. This is because the minerals in such food help to remineralize the teeth and keep them in good condition by preventing tooth decay.

Similarly, it is also beneficial to consume crunchy and firm fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apples, pears, celery, melon, cucumbers, and more. The high water content in such foods helps to neutralize the effect of the sugars they include. Plus, they also help to stimulate the salivary glands to produce more saliva which helps to wash away food particles and acids and prevent tooth decay.

  1. Foods that ruin your oral health – Highly acidic food such as tomatoes, and citrus fruits such as lemons, grapefruit, oranges, and more should be eaten with a larger meal to minimize the acids in them.

It is also recommended that you limit your intake of food and food products that are high in carbohydrates and sugar. These include French fries, breads, bagels, pies, candy, muffins, raisins, syrup, and more.

  1. The impact of drinks – Generally, water with fluoride is the optimum drink to maintain your oral health since it hydrates the mouth and washes away any food particles stuck to your mouth. The fluoride helps to rebuild soft spots in your tooth enamel. Milk is also considered a good drink since it is high in calcium and helps to strengthen your teeth. Reduce the consumption of sodas and lemonade since these are acidic and high in sugar.

Conclusion

Iqaluit Dental Clinic suggests you consume sugar-free products to improve your oral health. Generally, these include sugar alternatives such as sorbitol or saccharin. However, it is best to choose products that contain xylitol since it can help to prevent cavities.