Your eating habits can impact more than just your figure, they can impact your oral health too. Think about it, we warn our kids to not eat too much candy on Halloween for fear of cavities. Do we follow those same standards? Your food choices can make or break your oral health, so it’s important to watch what you eat! 

Control your sweet tooth

As we warn our kids on Halloween, it is important to take our own advice all year round! Too much sugar, whether it be from candy, soda, or even some fruits, can be detrimental to your oral health. Sugar in excess can cause tooth decay. The bacteria from sugar joins together and multiplies as plaque. If you’re not brushing correctly or routinely, this plaque turns to cavities. Even when brushing twice a day, cavities can form in those hard to reach places. The excess sugar in your diet puts you at a higher risk for cavities. Aim for cavity-free dental visits, keep your sugar intake low! 

Watch out for too much acidity 

Acidic foods such as oranges and lemons may sound healthy, and they are, but their impact on your oral health is quite the opposite. Too much acidity can wear down the tooth enamel and weaken your gums. With too much acid, your gum line will start to recede and expose the inner layer of your tooth. When the inner layer is exposed, your nerves are at risk. All of these factors combined can lead to painful tooth sensitivity. Unfortunately, once the tooth enamel is gone, it’s gone for good. So, keeping your teeth safe from acidity is extremely important! 

Incorporate tooth-healthy foods for a beautiful smile that will last

Now that we know about the bad foods, rest assured that there are good foods for your teeth too! Foods high in calcium such as cheese, milk, leafy greens, and plain yogurt are a few essentials to include in your diet if you want to keep strong, healthy teeth. Make sure to incorporate a good source of protein into your diet as well. Foods like meat, poultry, fish, and eggs are high in phosphorus, a very important mineral in protecting and rebuilding tooth enamel. All of these foods, among others, will keep your teeth shining bright! 

Contact Dr. Sara and her team at Pinnacle Peak Family Dentistry to learn more about how you can improve your smile with simple diet improvements!