How Does Diet Affect My Teeth?

In the pursuit of a beautiful figure we often forget about the beauty of our smile. But healthy and strong teeth are the key to the health of the whole body. In popular glossy magazines there are always articles about “how to lose weight by summer”, “which diets help to lose weight best”, etc. They all promise quick results after the first days or even hours of use. But none of these articles talk about how dieting affects our health, especially dental and oral health. In this article, let’s try to figure out if dieting is good or bad for our teeth.

Weak teeth are not something to be proud of. Rather, it’s a huge hole in our pocket, which will constantly be pulling money. First fillings and cavity treatment, then restorations or veneers, and then dentures or dental implants are just around the corner. And all of this could have been avoided. So let’s take a look at how diet affects your teeth. Are all diets the same?

What happens to our teeth when we go on a diet?

First of all, it is necessary to determine what is called a diet. Very often in order to lose weight it is enough to exclude from your diet sweets (buns, cakes), smoked foods (sausages, ham, etc.), foods with high fat content. If a person simply refused to buy sweets, smoked meats and chooses low-fat cottage cheese and kefir, there is no problem for the teeth, but only one benefit, and not only for the teeth. The sugar in sweets begins to break down while still in the mouth. As it breaks down, acid is released, which destroys the teeth and promotes the reproduction of microbes. If sweets are eliminated, the teeth will only get stronger.

But there are also other types of diets in particular, excluding all carbohydrates, when a person eats only protein foods (Kremlin diet, Atkins diet); excluding or limiting animal products (vegetarianism, veganism, frutorianism), raw eating. These diets can have an effect on dental health.

Eliminating carbohydrates

It is important for the teeth to get protein, calcium, and phosphorus. If a person consumes enough calcium with protein foods (cottage cheese, hard cheeses, meat), phosphorus (fish) there will be no harm to the teeth. The condition of the teeth will not change. If there are no dairy products, the calcium that could get with plant foods (sesame, broccoli) can not compensate for the lack. In this case, the condition of enamel can deteriorate, it becomes dull and scratches appear on it. If a person follows this diet constantly, tooth decay begins to form.

Exclusion of animal products

Excluding meat from your diet will have absolutely no effect on your teeth as long as you eat dairy products and mineral-rich fruits and vegetables.

When dairy and fermented foods are excluded, the problems begin. One of the champions of calcium content is cottage cheese and hard cheeses. To compensate for the lack of calcium, you need to eat calcium-rich plant foods in large quantities. For example, one could eat broccoli by the kilogram and swallow handfuls of sesame seeds. Usually, no one does this. Such diets are especially harmful to the growing body. Often there are multiple cavities, old fillings fall out, and chipped enamel on healthy teeth. Lack of calcium and other nutrients must be compensated by taking complex medications. These complexes can be prescribed by your doctor.

Raw food

Raw dieting involves avoiding the thermal processing of food. Dairy foods do not need it, raw fruits and vegetables are not only healthier, but also contribute to additional teeth cleansing. If you balance the intake of important micronutrients, there will be no harm to your teeth.

Diets should not be discarded, but everything should be sensible. Lose weight in good health, but don’t forget about your teeth, and you can always consult your doctor if you have any questions.

Call us at Affordable Dentistry of South Florida to schedule a consultation. Our doctors will be happy to answer all of your questions and perform a complete examination of your teeth.