32 Smiles- Dental Hospital

Dental Tips Page 1

HEALTHY FOOD FOR HEALTHY TEETH

Why proper diet is important for my teeth?

- To prevent cavities and maintain good oral health, your diet — what you eat and how

often you eat — are important factors.

Which Food Items are harmful for my teeth?

- Food containing sugars in any form like sweets, chocolates, candies, ice-cream, dry

fruits, etc

- Refined foods like pizza, cakes, burgers, French fries, cookies, bread, puddings, etc.

- Acidic foods like citrus fruits, lemon, pickles, vinegar, etc.

- Any soft and sticky foods which do not get cleansed easily are harmful for teeth.

- Too much consumption of tea & coffee can lead to stains around teeth and discolor

them.

Tell me some facts which I should know about oral cavity?

Importance of saliva

- Helps to maintain the pH of the oral cavity to near neutral.

- Killing bacteria with different enzymes and antibodies. & helps in natural cleaning of

teeth.

- It also carries calcium and phosphate minerals which can be taken up by the teeth to

strengthen teeth against tooth decay.

- Therefore, it is very important to maintain the normal flow of saliva.

Continuous snacking and sweet & beverages – more acids in saliva – more

decay.

What can I do to prevent tooth decay?

- Limit the frequency of snacking to maximum 5-6/day including tea, coffee, etc., with

three major meals and three snacks.

32 Smiles- Dental Hospital

Dental Tips Page 2

- Eating smartly

– Preferably have sugary foods with major meals.

– Avoid retaining sugars (eg.chocolates) in the mouth for long time.

– Consume foods majorly in their basic forms like whole fruit instead of juice. Keep

your diet rich in fibrous and protein rich foods instead of soft & junk foods.

–

- Choose right combinations of food

o Calcium and Vitamin C promote oral health. Calcium has been shown to help

build strong teeth, and Vit C is a powerful antioxidant that also plays an

important role in collagen synthesis, by which it helps you develop and maintain

healthy gums.

o Dairy products, including milk, yogurt and cheese are good sources of calcium.

Many fruits and vegetables including berries, oranges and cantaloupe, as well as

green vegetables including broccoli and spinach are excellent sources of vitamin

C.

o Drinking lot of water to stimulate salivary flow esp. tap water which contains

fluoride.

o Rinse your mouth after you consume anything, even sweetened milk or tea,etc.

o Brush your teeth after major meals or at least twice a day.Only rinse your mouth

after having any acidic foods or drinks. Do not brush immediately as it leads to

loss of tooth structure.

32 Smiles- Dental Hospital

Dental Tips Page 3

Things to Remember:

- Choose sugary foods less often

- Avoid sweets between meals

- Eat a variety of low or non-fat foods from the basic groups

Of course, in addition to eating right, it’s important to follow a consistent dental care routine of

twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing to promote oral health.

Be sure to see your dental professional regularly and talk to them if you have questions about how your

diet might affect your oral health.