For your teeth, what you eat matters more than you would expect. Eating a balanced diet reduces the risk of developing various diseases throughout the heart, lungs, stomach, and arteries and directly affects your oral health in ways least recognized. However, eating a balanced diet every day isn’t always possible for many, as the convenience and expensiveness of healthy foods often result in difficulties keeping teeth healthy long-term. Nutrient-rich foods, however, are worth the costs, as the teeth are often the most susceptible to bacteria growth and diseases. The interconnected relationship between the mouth and body is intrinsically linked.
The Mouth, Your Body, and Overall Health
Your mouth can offer various clues indicating how your overall health is currently. The body consists of numerous natural defenses against various forms of bacteria that cause disease. While your mouth contains hundreds of bacteria, most of the bacteria within our systems are harmless, and in many ways, quite helpful. However, your mouth is the entry point for your respiratory and digestive system. When left out of control, harmful strains of bacteria such as the streptococcus mutans can develop and enter our system, causing an impact on the body’s immune system response and impacting the body’s reactions to those conditions.
Even while certain medications and good oral care can prevent diseases from occurring, good oral care must be established as a standard form of self-care for your mind and body. Oral bacteria and inflammation are highly linked to inflammatory diseases, leading people to become more vulnerable to chronic conditions such as heart disease. While brushing and flossing may do well to keep your mouth clean, long-term oral care needs to take every aspect of health into account, including diet.
Establishing a Balanced Diet For Your Oral Health
Cavities, gum disease, and tooth decay are often most prone to develop when foods high in carbohydrates are regularly eaten. Carbohydrates are a primary source of sucrose, one of the main sources of foods for harmful bacteria in the mouth, and are considered cariogenic. The dynamic process of consumption and digestion takes many factors into account, as highly nutritious foods and how they’re eaten matter significantly, according to StatPearls peer-reviewed journal. Dietary shifts for oral health are essential for maintaining the mouth’s health, including its ability to increase saliva production, maintain calcium and phosphate deposits in the enamel, and reduce the risks of developing dental diseases. To eat a balanced diet, we recommend:
- Eating Foods High In Vitamin D, A, and C
- Focus on Dairy Products with High Calcium
- Drink Fluoridated Water
- Lean Proteins and Low-Fat Meals
- High Fiber Vegetables and Fruits
Avoiding processed, sugary foods and drinks will help benefit your health in numerous ways, especially your mouth. Reducing the amount of sugar eaten can help improve your oral health by giving the bacteria in your mouth less fuel to consume and give your overall health the boost it needs for longer, happier life.
