How does diet affect the teeth?

Dental health is directly affected by both the way we eat and of course what we eat. In addition, the health of the teeth and mouth also has an impact on our general health. For example, a direct connection was found between tooth decay and gingivitis and chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.Our teeth have many functions. Apart from their essential role in eating and digesting food, they help us with proper speech, proper pronunciation and even affect the structure of the face. One of the main recommendations for maintaining dental health is to brush regularly twice a day and use dental floss. But it is not enough.

A diet that causes an increase in the amount of acids in the mouth and the development of caries

1. Food and drinks containing sugar.

2. All carbonated drinks, regardless of whether or not they contain sugar, including soda.

how does it happen

Inside our mouth there are regularly bacteria, some of the bacteria found in our body. Most of them are good bacteria that protect the mouth from harmful bacteria taking over.

When we eat carbohydrates, whether it’s simple sugar or even food that contains starch such as bread, pasta and rice, the bacteria start working because the sugars are their food, they break down the carbohydrates and during the process the same acids are formed that damage the tooth’s shell and caries is formed. Studies have shown a direct link between drinking a lot of sugary drinks and damage to the teeth and have shown that reducing their frequency led to a decrease in the development of cavities in the teeth.

As far as the carbonated drink is concerned, the gases in the drink make it acidic and then when we drink this drink we bring about the same effect of erosion and damage to the tooth. This process also occurs with soda because of the gases in it and with carbonated drinks without sugar.

The same when we drink fruit juices. They have a high acid level (depending on the fruit) and they cause the same effect as the gases in drinks.

What is tooth decay and how does it form?

Our tooth is made up of different minerals and when they are exposed to acid they dissolve and the shell of the tooth (called tooth enamel) is damaged and the holes are formed. Those holes in the teeth are a very common health problem in any age range. This means that in order to prevent tooth decay we need to reduce the situation where the amount of acids in the mouth increases.

When drinking carbonated drinks with sugar, the damage to the mouth is the most destructive – both from the sugar and from the gases.

How do you reduce the risk of tooth decay?

1. Minimize the drinking of carbonated drinks of any kind, including soda. Water should be the main daily drink. Can be varied with different types of herbal tea or green tea.
2. Reduce eating food containing simple sugar such as sweets and chocolate.
3. When drinking a carbonated drink it is better with a straw to reduce the contact of the drink with the teeth.
4. Do not hold the sweet or carbonated drink in your mouth, but swallow it straight away so that there is minimal exposure to the teeth.
5. If possible, rinse your mouth with tap water after eating sweet food or drinking sweet or carbonated drinks. This way the acids are washed away and they do not circulate in the mouth.
6. Brush your teeth with fluoride-containing paste or rinse with fluoride-containing mouthwash. Fluoride is a mineral that participates in the construction of tooth enamel and helps prevent the development of caries.
7. After brushing your teeth, do not drink carbonated drinks even if it is soda or diet drinks due to their acidity.
   

    

    

8. Combining foods that benefit dental health:

• The recommendation of the American Dental Association is to combine vegetables and fruits that contain dietary fibers that clean the teeth, massage the gums and increase the production of saliva in the mouth which is a protective factor for the teeth and thus the assimilation of the minerals in the saliva in the tooth (carrots, kohlrabi, cucumbers, apples, celery).
• Drinking green tea and black tea inhibits the development of the bacteria in the mouth and their reproduction, thus creating less acids that destroy the tooth. It should be taken into account that tea in its various types may change the color of teeth among some people.
• Hard cheeses reduce the amount of acids in the mouth and chewing them stimulates the production of saliva, they contain calcium and protein that build the enamel of the tooth.
• Sugar-free chewing gum stimulates saliva secretion and therefore helps in rinsing the mouth from the acids formed after a meal.
• Green leaves such as kale, spinach, rocket contain folic acid which helps with gingivitis and also contains calcium which builds tooth enamel.

Niora Marta, clinical dietician B.Sc R.D Behali Maman, a chain specializing in a healthy lifestyle