Besides visiting the dentist and oral hygienist at a trusted medical and dental clinic near you for a check-up and routine maintenance of your teeth and gums, what else can you do to keep your smile bright and beautiful?
Believe it or not, you can do your part in maintaining good oral health by being selective about what you eat and drink. Much of what goes into your mouth affects the overall state of your teeth and gums. Before we explain, let’s introduce ourselves.
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As one of the leading medical and dental clinic groups in South Africa, we offer you access to a wide range of health professionals under one roof to provide you with general and specialised medical and dental clinic services.
Now that you know who we are and why we care as a medical and dental clinic, let’s journey on to discover what you can do in terms of food and beverage intake to maintain healthy teeth and gum between visits to the dentist or oral hygienist.
Water Is the Secret to Good Health & Healthy Teeth
Regular water intake is essential to help your body flush out toxins and distribute necessary nutrients. Replenishing with water several times a day helps to keep muscles working and it supports good skin health. It’s also surprisingly good for your teeth. Here’s why:
Teeth Strengthening Properties
Fluoride has been dubbed as a cavity fighter and many bottled water products contain just the right amount of fluoride to help in the fight against cavity formation. A research study published in the Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology Journal on 17 February 2016 showed that fluoridation can have a positive effect on dental health.
Water Creates a Cleaner Oral Environment
No surprise here. Water isn’t just good for washing cars, dishes or to clean your body. When you eat snacks, chances are that small pieces stay behind. If left for a few hours, these small pieces create the perfect environment for bacterial growth. Washing a snack down with a soft drink or even juice doesn’t do much for keeping your teeth clean. With bacteria just crazy about sugars, you don’t do much more than feeding them. In addition, the acids in soft drinks and juices take a toll on the outer part of teeth, and so do the cavity-forming bacteria.
The best way to ensure a cleaner environment for optimal oral health is to drink water. It flushes away residue from foods, keeps your mouth hydrated and dilutes acids. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t brush your teeth daily, but it does provide a supportive function to keep your mouth clean. Speak to one of the oral hygienists or dentists about the advantages of drinking water. You can find one with our medical and dental clinic locator.
Keep The Mouth Hydrated
Did you know that saliva plays an important role in fighting off bacteria? Not only is it essential for swallowing and helping to break up food particles but is also necessary to wash leftover pieces of food away.
What is not generally known is its teeth strengthening role. Saliva provides your teeth with calcium and phosphate, and along with fluoride helps to keep teeth strong. A dry mouth creates the right conditions for tooth decay. Keep your mouth hydrated and you are one step up against tooth decay. Speak to a dental or medical professional at one of our clinics about the importance of keeping hydrated as part of good oral healthcare.
Water Doesn’t Add to Your Calorie Count
Replenishing with sweet drinks can actually cause you to dehydrate. And apart from the sugar overload, these drinks often contain a lot of calories. If you want to manage your weight, rather opt for water. Too much sugar in your diet can cause a whole lot of problems for your health. If you struggle to maintain a healthy weight, even when not drinking and eating sweet things, make an appointment at a medical and dental clinic to get to the root of the problem.
Eat The Right Foods
Dairy-based foods including milk, cheese and yoghurt contain their fair share of calcium and protein, important for teeth strengthening. In addition, dairy products don’t contain unhealthy sugars. Speak to a health professional at one of our medical and dental clinics about calcium and protein supplements or alternatives to dairy products if you are lactose intolerant or struggle with food allergies.
Meat, fish, eggs and poultry also contain protein. In addition, these foods are rich in phosphorus, which has been shown to help in the prevention of oral decay and improving teeth strength.
Phosphorus is one of the essential minerals and can be found in bone and teeth. Calcium and phosphorus go hand in hand because specific hormones, such as parathyroid hormone together with Vitamin D, are integral in the regulation of calcium and phosphorus. The two minerals form hydroxyapatite, which in turn, is the main component of enamel and bone according to a contribution titled “Habitual intakes, food sources and excretions of phosphorus and calcium in three German study collectives.“ as published in Nutrients 2018, Feb 2;10(2):171.
Fruits and vegetables are still at the top of the ladder for a healthy diet. The secret is to maintain a balanced diet for overall health. But did you know that fruits and vegetables are also rich in fibre in addition to their high water profile? Why does it matter? Simply because the combination helps to ensure cleaner teeth and balancing of sugars.
Don’t Forget to Chew!
Chewing helps to break up food particles. At the same time, it sends a message to the stomach and intestines to get ready in doing their part. But when it comes to oral health, it helps to release saliva to do its part in washing food down, bacteria away, and to protect teeth.
Chewing and Nuts Work Well Together
If you’re not allergic to nuts, consider making this food source a part of your diet. You’ll do your teeth a favour as nuts are rich in health-supporting minerals and proteins while being low in carbs. With carbs noted for activating acid-producing bacteria that can cause tooth decay, nuts certainly have a role to play in oral health. Since eating nuts require chewing, which stimulates saliva formation, you can see where it’s going – washing bacteria away and making teeth strong.
Brush and Rinse Regularly
Even if you drink enough water and eat the right foods, you still need to brush your teeth daily. Don’t skip on this essential part in maintaining good oral health.
Final Step
Schedule regular health and teeth care check-ups at your nearest Intercare medical and dental clinic.
Use the convenient online booking system to make an appointment at the nearest medical and dental clinic.