The Diet/Dental Connection

San Antonio, Texas

"Take care of your teeth, and your teeth will take care of you."  How true, how true!  If you don’t brush your teeth, don’t see a dentist for regular checkups and don’t eat right, your teeth will leave you.

But, if you do brush your teeth after every meal, visit your dentist regularly and eat right, your teeth will be with you for a very long time.

Visiting your dentist every year gives him or her an opportunity to check for problems you can’t see, such as gum disease or enamel erosion.  By eating a balanced diet, you give your body the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and able to fight off germs and infections.

Eating a balanced diet may be one of the most important things you can do to maintain healthy teeth and here’s why.  A balanced diet consists of foods that are both acidic and alkaline, so your teeth are not exposed to damaging acids that can destroy the protective coating on teeth known as enamel.

It’s pretty simple, really.  When you brush your teeth, you are removing the food particles and bacteria left in your mouth. Every time you eat or drink, the food meets up with the naturally occurring germs and bacteria in your mouth.  Plaque is a sticky type of bacteria and really loves the sugars in food.  When you don’t brush after eating, the plaque and sugars get together and produce more harmful acid.  Over time, poor tooth brushing habits can lead to tooth decay.  Decaying teeth can lead to infection and it isn’t uncommon for infections that started in the mouth to cause problems in the jaw or move into the rest of the body.

Just in case you aren’t really sure, here’s a little reminder of what constitutes a healthy, balanced diet.  The balance comes in eating a variety of foods.

• Breads, cereals and other grain products, especially whole grains
• Fresh fruits
• Fresh vegetables
• Meat, poultry and fish
• Milk, cheese and yogurt

If you’re going to snack between meals, pick something that is nutritious.  Cheese, raw vegetables or fresh fruit are great options.  You should also be drinking lots of water.  Not only is water great for your body, but it washes the food out of your mouth and helps to reduce the acidic effects of what you eat.

Just remember – what you eat affects your teeth just as much as it affects the rest of your body.  Take care of them and they will take care of you!

If you are looking for a dentist in San Antonio or the surrounding area, please contact us today.