The Significance of a Good Diet For Optimal Oral Health And Wellness

Good diet and nutrition play a significant role in maintaining or improving your oral and general health. You must ensure to obtain all the essential nutrients needed for growth and development, especially in children. Healthy gums and teeth too, require a well-balanced diet. What you eat may show up through your smile! 

Diet counseling by a Bristol, Connecticut dentist helps educate parents to take care of their child’s nutritional needs for an improved quality of oral health. This will eventually pave the way for overall wellness and development. 

A good diet is essential for healthy teeth and gums 

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children require a balanced dose of all the essential nutrients needed for healthy growth and development. Your teeth and the supporting structures are important too since your oral cavity acts as a gateway to other systems in your body. A good and well-balanced diet must contain the right amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and fats.

You must pay special attention to the foods consumed, especially when it comes to the sugar content in them. Increased sugar intake can be detrimental to your child’s oral health since it paves the way for increased bacterial colonization and plaque accumulation in the future. 

What foods are good for healthy teeth and gums?

Include the following foods in the diet to reap maximum benefits: 

• Proteins 
  • Eggs
  • Chickpeas
• Lean meat
  • Fish
  • Chicken 
• Nuts
  • Almonds
  • Walnuts
• Fruits
  • Berries
  • Melons
  • Pears
  • Apples 
  • Bananas
• Vegetables 
  • Spinach
  • Broccoli
  • Cucumber
  • Celery
  • Carrots 
• Low-fat dairy products
  • Cheese
  • Butter
  • Paneer
• Calcium sources
  • Milk
  • Curd
• Xylitol-sweetened gum
• Fluoridated water 

What foods must be avoided for healthy teeth and gums?

On the contrary, certain foods can be harmful when consumed regularly. Lessen the risk of dental caries and decay by limiting your child’s intake of certain foods, or avoiding them altogether. These include:

• Sticky chewy foods
  • Caramel
  • Lollipops
  • Candies
• Desserts
  • Ice cream 
  • Cakes
• Sugar-sweetened drinks
  • Sodas
  • Sports drinks
  • Sweetened fruit juice
  • Chocolate milk
• Tooth-staining foods
  • Tea 
  • Coffee 

Summary 

A good, healthy diet loaded with nutrients is fundamental to your child’s growth and development. In addition to a good diet, ensure you brush your child’s teeth after eating sticky and sugary snacks. Remember to limit unhealthy snacking in between meals since it does not provide sufficient time for your mouth to produce saliva to flush out the bacteria and plaque. 

Diet along with good oral hygiene practices like brushing, flossing, regular dental visits, and professional cleaning can give you healthy teeth, body, and mind. 

About The Author