How Our Diets Impact Our Oral Health
There’s a lot of ways our overall health can benefit from a simple change of diet. Our body needs the proper nutrients to maintain itself. Healing the microdamage that we face each day, reinforcing the enamel in our teeth, and battling bacteria are all included in this. Not getting the necessary nutrients leaves us more vulnerable to dry mouth, tooth decay, gum disease, and other diseases of the mouth. Research has shown that our mouths have more diverse requirements than we initially thought. It has thus become important to emphasize how essential our diets are to creating good oral health.
How Our Diets Impact Our Oral Health
We don’t often consider the essential role our oral cavity plays in protecting our overall health. As we breathe, consume food, and interact with others, we’re exposed to an endless stream of bacteria. A good portion of this bacteria will pass through our oral cavity. As it does, our immune system springs into action. The microbiomes in our mouths, stomach, and other parts of our digestive tract help to protect us against them. The microbes in this system also help us digest our food and get the most out of the nutrients. So, where does our oral health come in? Our oral health is vital to maintaining homeostasis, and if troublesome bacteria get involved, these systems can become disrupted.
Maintaining our oral health helps us defend against these diseases by stopping them before they get into the digestive tract. These same diseases are the ones responsible for producing tooth decay and gum disease. If we allow our oral health to fall, then we’re not able to get the nutrients we need to continue fighting disease effectively. All of these things are connected; the gut helps protect the body, the oral cavity helps protect the gut. Unhealthy foods can cause complications at every stage of this process.
A Dentist’s Recommendations For A Healthy Diet
The first thing you may want to ponder is what you’re currently eating. If your diet is high in carbohydrates, sugars, and highly processed food, you’re going to feel the impact. It’s essential to start cycling out the foods that are unhealthy and focusing on those that will help elevate your health. Combining this change in diet with exercise can produce highly effective results. Consider some of the below healthy options for your diet:
- C, A, And D Vitamins – These vitamins help us process important minerals like calcium while also promoting overall health. C and A are well known for their ability to support our overall immune system, and Vitamin D has been shown to battle gum disease. Mushrooms, salmon, carrots, and strawberries are all foods high in these vitamins.
- Calcium Is King – When it comes to oral health, there’s no more important nutrient than calcium. In combination with Vitamin D, it’s able to reinforce your teeth, bones, and other oral structures.
Want to know more? Reach out to your dental health professional to develop healthy dental diets for your entire family. They can inform you where the problem areas in your diet are and what you can do to overcome them.
