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.

Can your dental health affect your overall health?

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Your dental health speaks great volumes about the health of your body. With a single oral exam, your dentist can often detect any immune system problems, nutritional deficiencies, stress or infections you might have. Think of your dentist as a disease detective and your oral cavity the window to your overall health.  

Infections of your teeth, mouth and gums can take a major toll on the health of…

… your heart. Studies have shown that people with periodontal disease are 1.5-2 times more likely to suffer a fatal heart attack and even 3 times more likely to suffer from a stroke!

…your lungs. Your oral tissue can become infected with respiratory disease-causing bacteria. Once inhaled, these bacteria can cause major problems and lead to the development of diseases like pneumonia.

…people with diabetes. Diabetics are more likely to develop periodontal disease than their non-diabetic counterparts. This is according to the American Academy of Periodontology which states that periodontal disease is often considered the sixth complication of diabetes. Research also shows that the relationship between periodontal disease and diabetes goes both ways. Severe periodontal disease can increase blood sugar, which puts diabetics at a heightened risk for diabetic complications.

…the intestines. Poor oral health aversely impacts the function of the digestive system. This, in turn, can lead to intestinal failure and a whole host of other problems.

…the blood stream. When your gums are healthy, bacteria in your mouth typically don’t enter the bloodstream. However, gum disease, some invasive dental treatments and medicines that reduce saliva flow may provide bacteria an easy port of entry. Once in the bloodstream, bacteria has free reign to wreak havoc on your body’s vital organs causing harmful infections.

So, it goes without saying that you should keep your dentist in the loop on your medical conditions. That way, he or she can provide care and recommendations accordingly. Also, visiting your dentist twice annually for oral exams and cleanings is one of the many precautions you can take for heart health, lung health and to keep harmful infections at bay.

Need to find a dentist? Universal Dental Plan (a discount dental plan) makes regular visits to Boston dentists and other Massachusetts dentists and specialists affordable for its members.  That way, they can stay one step ahead of the curve and ensure oral diseases and conditions are diagnosed and treated promptly.