What does nutrition have to do with oral health?
Nutrition and healthy eating habits play an important role in achieving and maintaining good oral health. A proper balanced diet including all the main food groups, that is, fruit & vegetables , milk products , meat, fish or other protein supplements , and breads and cereals are necessary to achieve this goal.
Tips to a healthy smile:
- Avoid foods with high concentration of sugar(cakes, ice-cream, honey..).
- Sugar.It’s not just candy! Check the concentration of sugar! Research has reviealed that foods like potato chips, crackers, breads, and a high carbohydrate diet(rice, pasta) can be as damaging to teeth as candy.
- Avoid sticky and soft foods because they cling to your tooth surface and get between the teeth providing a better environment for the bacteria to attack (ie: raisins…).
- Try snacking on yellow cheese after your meal as it helps to neutralize the acids in your mouth, especially after the consumption of sweet foods.
- Hard and crunchy foods are the safest because they increase saliva production and help to self clean the teeth (carrots, apples, celery).
- Don’t forget that many drinks have a high concentration of sugar.apple juice, milk, ice-tea, pop..etc. Keep sweet drinks to meal times and promote clear water drinking and rinsing for in-between meals and snacks!
- Make sure good drinking water is in easy reach for your child!
