Dental Plan Blog

Proper Nutrition for Dental Health

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Nutrition and your oral health are highly intertwined. Good nutrition promotes good oral health by enabling your mouth and its tissues to develop and stay healthy. However, some foods and habits are known to spur on plaque development, leading to a heightened risk of tooth decay and dental disease.

With all of this in mind, we’ve put together several quick facts and nutrition tips to keep your teeth and gums disease and decay free.

Quick Facts and Tips:

• Sugars and cooked starches (fermentable carbohydrates) can make a huge impact  on your risk of tooth decay, so avoid consumption of these items in excess
• About 20-40 minutes after you eat, your mouth releases acids. Each of these “acid attacks” increases your risk of tooth decay so it's important to limit the number of between-meal snacks you have (as you’ll limit the number of acid attacks as well).
• Foods such as bread and crackers stay on teeth longer that jelly beans or caramels despite perceived stickiness of the latter two. Look to consume foods that clear the mouth quickly, as they pose less of a threat of tooth decay.
• Baby bottle tooth decay occurs when infants’ or young children’s teeth get severely damaged from prolonged exposure to liquids containing sugars. For this reason, you should avoid letting your child fall asleep with a bottle of formula or juice.
• Make sure you get your Vitamin C. It helps protect your gums from infection and can be found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
• Last but not least, if you do consume sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods, make sure it’s as part of a balanced meal. This helps to increase saliva production and neutralize acid production in the mouth.

Need more tips on nutrition for oral health? Ask your dentist at your next dental checkup.

And, for those who need to find a dentist, Universal Dental Plan can help. Universal Dental Plan is an affordable dental insurance plan alternative in Massachusetts. We connect you with local Boston dentists and providers throughout the state who will be able to answer your questions and point you on a path towards excellent oral health.

Five beverages that can harm your dental health

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Everyone knows that candy and sweets are hard on your teeth, but the most dangerous culprits could actually be what you drink! Studies have shown that certain beverages have higher acidity and in some cases higher amounts of concentrated sugars than others. So which drinks ones are the most dangerous to your oral health?

• Soda contains phosphoric and citric acids which are harsh on enamel. Also, dark sodas can easily stain teeth, especially if you let it sit on your teeth for awhile without brushing it away.
• When it comes to stained teeth, coffee is of course one of the most famous culprits. The high amount of caffeine in coffee enables it to wear down enamel, making it easier to stain teeth.
• Sports drinks are one of the newest additions to the list of harmful beverages. They are said to contain up to three times the amount of sugar found in soda!
• Carbonated water is also surprisingly damaging to the mouth because it contains deceptively high amounts of sugar.
• Juices such as orange, apple, or lemonade, all seem healthier, but contain high amounts of sugar, and natural acidity from the fruit. The combination of sugar and acid can have the same effect on the teeth as soda.
• Alcohol is the most important beverage to avoid because the acids and sugars are much stronger and can easily lead to periodontal disease. Also, alcohol abuse can lead to oral cancer.

So, if you're one of the many people reluctant to give up your diet cola or coffee in the morning don't worry! There are many solutions that can allow you to enjoy your favorite drinks without sacrificing your oral health.

1.     Stay Hydrated: Drinking water after consuming any of these beverages can help rinse out the sticky sugars and acids that latch themselves onto your teeth. Also, water will have the same effect as saliva, which adds moisture to your mouth making it easier to wash away bacteria.

2.     Bring a toothbrush. If you can't go without any or all of these beverages, bring a toothbrush with you. Dentists say to wait 20-30 minutes after consumption to allow the enamel, which has softened from the acids and sugars, to harden again, and cause less damage to the teeth.

3.     Chew sugarless gum. Chewing sugarless gum will actually help to pull the sugars and acids off of your teeth, and produces more saliva for a natural cleanse.

4.     Use a straw. It sounds silly, but placing a straw towards the back of your mouth can keep the beverage away from your teeth and prevent direct contact with your front teeth (to avoid staining)!

So if you're not willing to give up any of your favorite beverages, try these simple solutions. That way, you can have your cola and keep your smile healthy too.