A Healthy Meal, A Healthy Smile

Written by DDS Miami

March is the month of nutrition. What you eat impacts the condition of your teeth and how often you eat can affect your tooth decay. Diet and nutrition impact your smile. Depending on what you are eating plaque builds up in your teeth, that’s why it’s important to brush your teeth twice a day. Foods and drinks interact with our teeth differently. For example, drinking water is more beneficial for the care of your teeth, than a sugary soda drink. According to Mouth Healthy,

drinking water can strengthen your teeth and protect them from cavities because of the fluoride in water (1). Enamel is an important aspect of your dental care because it protects your teeth and smile. Drinking sugary drinks attracts bacteria and some drinks are acidic causing the enamel in your teeth to wear. It also increases your chances of cavities. However, water is not acidic and maintains your mouth clean by flushing out left-over food. Mouth Healthy provies 4 reasons why drinking water goes a long way for a healthy smile. Besides strengthen and keeping your mouth clean, water also prevents dry mouth and is calorie-free (2). Therefore, make sure you are drinking plenty of water during the day to ensure a better, brighter and cleaner smile.

Teeth are made from calcium, so what better to eat than diary? Milk, cheese, and yogurt are low in sugar, so they will not attract bacteria causing cavities. Foods that are rich in protein also help maintain a healthy smile. We cannot forget about such important foods like fruits and vegetables. Nuts are also a great option. According to Mouth Healthy, “...nuts that are low in carbohydrates don’t add to your risk of cavities.” (3). So, next time you’re preparing a meal or deciding what to munch on. Replace the candy bar, for a nutty granola bar. Replace the sugary soda drink, for a 100% fruit juice.  Replace a bag of chips, for a some baby carrots. There are many nutritional options for maintaining a healthy smile and make sure to always brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day.

Created 03/26/2018