Tooth decay is a big part of a person’s oral health, and if you let it linger, it causes extractions, fillings and the like. Decay occurs when the sugar does react with the plaque bacteria, forming acids that will eventually destroy your enamel. After his happens a few times, this will cause a hole to form, and the cavity gets in there, causing further decay far quicker.
So how does food play a part in this? decay is caused by sugars, all of which come in different forms, with most of the “ose” words being the source for this. fructose, glucose, and sucrose are common ones. And they are, of course, gross, damaging the teeth.
Processed foods have higher sugars in them and tend to appear higher on the ingredient list. Try to read the ingredients when you’re out shopping for food.
When you do read, make sure you’re mindful of the different types of items that are in there. if there isn’t “added sugar” that doesn’t mean that it’s totally sugar free, just there’s no extra sugar. They might contain carbs, so make sure you’re sure of what you’re putting in your body before you have it.
Can drinks and foods cause erosion?
Yes they can, especially if they’re acid. T his dissolves the tooth enamel. Anything with a smaller pH than 5.5 may cause this. some alkalis do have a higher pH that will cancel out the different pH that the acidic foods have. 7 is the number that’s right in the middle.
Here are some foods that are more alkali:
Mineral water
Milk
Cheddar cheese
Some of the more acidic foods are:
Lager
Orange juice
Pickles
Grapefruits
Sodas
Vinegar
Red wine
So if you are going to have them, you want to make sure that you balance these out. for example, you have some fruit? Eat some cheese after that.
Some good savory snacks may be good as well, such as:
Raw veggies
Breadsticks
Nuts
What about Sweets
You need to bear in mind that there’s no set amount of what you can drink in terms of sugar, and same with eating, but it’s more based on how often you consume these. Sweets are fine but have them during meals. Don’t just walk around in between and have some cookies.
Try to reduce the sugar foods, and consider having xylitol gum, in order to help offset the effects of tooth decay. Sugary foods and items cause a ton of different health issues, such as increasing body weight, heart disease, and other problems.
Why this matters
So you might wonder why your diet has such an intimate connection with oral health. Well, whenever you eat or drink something, the teeth get thrown under an attack of acid for up to an hour, because the sugar naturally reacts with the bacteria inside plaque, the sticky parts of the teeth, and creates acids that are harmful. So make sure that you have these foods and drinks during mealtimes and limit the time that the mouth gets at risk.
When you constantly consume acids, it’s harmful, and the acid will erode or dissolve the enamel, and expose your dentine under this, and make the teeth unsightly and sensitive.
Diets rich in vitamins, minerals, and even fruits and veggies help with this. you can prevent gum disease, which will cause you to reduce the tooth loss, and bad breath that’s there.
So yes, keep your diet good, and keep your teeth aligned, for the best results you can get!
