What you eat not only impacts your physical health. Too many sugars and starches in your diet can feed harmful bacteria that cause problems like tooth decay and gum disease. Harmful bacteria consume food debris left in the mouth. Bacteria produce digestive acids that can break down the tooth enamel. These bacteria can also irritate and inflame the gum tissue. Avoiding refined sugars and starches and eating a balanced diet can prevent problems like cavities and gum recession. Discover the link between sugary, starchy foods and oral health and how we can provide oral health services for patients in our Cockeysville, MD, dental office.
The Worst Foods For Your Oral Health
What you consume impacts not only your overall health but also your oral health. Some of the worst foods for the teeth and gums are:
- Candy
- Baked sweets and pastries
- White bread
- Sugary cereal
- Potato chips
- Fruit cups
Refined sugars and starches attract harmful bacteria. Sugar can also hide in juices, sports drinks, iced tea, and other bottled beverages. Hydrating daily, eating fruits and vegetables, choosing whole grains, and minimizing sugary drinks can help prevent harmful bacteria from affecting your smile. Sugars and starches are good in moderation. Ensuring that you have good oral health habits and balancing your diet can positively affect your overall and oral health.
Improve Your Oral Health in Cockeysville, MD
We recommend that patients visit the dentist twice a year, or every six months, for a dental cleaning and exam. Our hygienists use stainless steel dental tools during routine dental visits to remove bacteria from the teeth and gums. Preventative dental care is important in stopping problems like gum disease and tooth decay before they develop. If you notice early signs of decay, including toothaches, bleeding gums, swollen and red gum tissue, and tooth sensitivity, please contact us so we can help! We can also take dental x-rays to find problems within the teeth that the naked eye can’t see.
At home, be sure to floss and brush your teeth twice a day. Although many patients may not think flossing is important, flossing before brushing can remove food debris from between teeth. Flossing helps remove the debris that can lead to decay, while brushing with fluoride toothpaste strengthens the tooth enamel. Brush for two minutes at least twice a day to keep teeth strong.
Drinking water can also help wash away food particles. Keeping yourself hydrated can also prevent problems like dry mouth, which cause bad breath and more bacterial buildup in the mouth. Dry mouth occurs when there is not enough saliva in the mouth to remove debris. Drinking enough water daily can help with saliva production.
At Valley Dental Health, our team helps renew the health and look of patients’ smiles. We welcome you to call 443-733-6613 or request your next dental consultation with us on our website. Let us know if you have any questions about routine care or have any current dental problems. We’re here to find the best solutions to your oral health issues.