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The impact of diet on oral health

Oral health can be greatly impacted by your diet, which is why a balanced diet is so important for keeping your teeth healthy. Sugars can cause decay, so eating sugary foods, like sweets and biscuits, or drinking sugary drinks can impact the enamel on your teeth for up to an hour afterwards1. Diets that are rich in vitamins and minerals, that focus on fresh fruit and vegetables, can also help prevent gum disease, bad breath and tooth loss1.

In this article, we’ll look at how diet and oral health are connected, how to prevent tooth decay and how to keep teeth healthy, as well as how you can improve your oral health through your diet.

How are diet and oral health connected?

Unsurprisingly, the things you put in your mouth will impact your oral health, and food is no exception. While plenty of foods are good for your teeth, sugary foods, in particular, can have a negative effect on the overall health of your teeth and gums. As the bacteria in plaque encounter sugar, they create acid, which then attacks your teeth and begins to erode your enamel, which can eventually lead to tooth decay1.

  • Tooth decay – Foods that are high in sugar and carbohydrates can contribute to tooth decay. Some foods, such as caramel, dried fruit, or even crisps, can stick to your teeth, increasing the likelihood of decay if not cleaned properly2.

  • Gum disease – Diets that lack essential nutrients (vitamin C, especially) can weaken the immune system and leave gums more vulnerable to infection. Similarly, foods that are high in refined carbohydrates but low in fibre can contribute to inflammation of the gums2.

  • Acid erosion – Much like the acid that’s produced when you eat sugar, foods that are naturally acidic, like citrus fruit, pickled vegetables and vinegar, can erode your teeth enamel over time. Enamel provides a protective layer over your teeth, so removing it with food that’s high in acid can make your teeth vulnerable to decay and sensitivity2.

  • Oral cancer – Some dietary and lifestyle choices can increase your risk of oral cancer. Excessive alcohol and tobacco use have been shown to increase the odds, as well as a diet that’s low in fruit and vegetables. To help reduce the chances of oral cancer, focus on a diet that includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods2.

What is tooth decay?

If you’ve ever been to the dentist and been told you need a filling, it was probably due to tooth decay. But what does tooth decay mean?

Tooth decay is when the enamel on your teeth is damaged or worn away by acid. Enamel is the outer layer of your teeth, and it acts as a guard, defending the deeper layers of your teeth, including the nerves and blood vessels that keep your teeth alive. Over time, enamel is worn away, and small holes, or cavities, can form. Food can then get trapped in these small pockets, which can accelerate tooth decay3.

This is because the sugar in your food not only feeds you, but also the bacteria in your mouth, causing these bacteria to produce acid, which then damages your tooth enamel3.

What does sugar do to your teeth?

Tooth decay occurs when sugar reacts with the naturally occurring bacteria that live in your mouth. These bacteria produce acid as a byproduct of eating the sugars left on your teeth, and it’s this acid that dissolves your tooth enamel. If tooth decay is left for long enough, sugar can even lead to tooth loss.

How to prevent tooth decay through your diet

If you feel like you’re eating too much sugar, you’re not alone - the average Briton eats a whopping 700g of sugar a week4. But if you’re concerned about tooth decay, you don’t need to cut sugar out of your diet entirely; you could just try to consume sugary foods less frequently. If you can, try to avoid sugary foods that take a long time to eat, such as boiled sweets, as they’ll stay in your mouth for extended periods of time3.

While prevention is important, getting the right nutrients is also key. Having enough calcium and vitamin D can prevent weak and brittle teeth, just as getting enough vitamin C can keep your gums healthy5.

What foods should you avoid for strong oral health?

The main cause of cavities is the acid that sits on the teeth and wears away enamel over time. Foods, from sugary sweets to starchy carbs, dissolve into sugars that turn into corrosive acid in the mouth, attacking teeth and weakening their strong veneer. To keep your teeth strong and your enamel intact, beware of these foods that are bad for teeth.

#1 Sticky sugary foods

As you might guess, sugary sweets that you suck on for a long time can put a serious dent in enamel and endanger the health of your mouth. Sweets are loaded with sugar that stick to the teeth and take a long time to dissolve, exposing the gums and teeth to the damaging sugar. These can include things like caramel, gummies, and jam or dried fruits like raisins and dates.

#2 Sports Drinks

In addition to being high in sugar, some sports drinks can also promote tooth erosion, because they are also high in acid. These can include recovery drinks that specialize in delivering carbohydrates, or energy drinks that provide caffeine.

#3: Carbohydrates

While it may surprise you, bread, cakes and raisins can be damaging to teeth. These starches are simple carbohydrates that hang around the mouth and dissolve into the type of simple sugar that mouth germs thrive on, the kind that leads to acid-producing tooth decay. Examples of carbohydrates include crisps, cereal bars, popcorn and processed white bread.

How to improve teeth health?

Improving your oral health can be as simple as eating a balanced diet, but there are plenty of other ways to improve the health of your teeth too.

  • Take care of your teeth and gums – It’s essential to brush your teeth twice a day, typically before you go to bed and at another time.You should make sure tobrush for two minutes, and clean all the surfaces of your teeth, including the inside, outside and chewing surfaces, as well as your gums6.

  • Brush with a fluoride toothpaste – Using toothpaste that contains fluoride twice a day is also important. Not only will brushing your teeth twice a day keep them clean, but the fluoride in the toothpaste can even undo tooth decay in the early stages by helping to repair enamel3.

  • Daily flossing – Daily flossing can help to remove bacteria or food from the gaps within your teeth and prevent build ups in hard-to-reach places3.

  • Rinse your mouth after eating acidic foods - If you’ve got a taste for acidic foods like vinegar or pickles, it can help to rinse your mouth with water after a particularly acid-heavy meal. A rinse, or simply drinking some water afterwards, can remove any lingering acids that might damage your teeth7.

  • Use mouthwash to help remove the plaque that can cause tooth decay – Using mouthwash that contains fluoride is another great way to help prevent tooth decay8.

  • Regular dentist checks – On top of all the things you can do yourself, regular visits to the dentist can help you detect problems earlier and treat them. You can also get access to a wide range of treatments, ranging from fillings to root canals6.

  • Eat a balanced diet – A balanced diet, one that includes a variety of vegetables, fruits and lean proteins can benefit your overall health. Crunchy fruit and veg like apples and carrots can help clean teeth and stimulate gums, while foods that are high in calcium can help strengthen bones and teeth5.

In the next section we’ll explore the foods that are good for your teeth in more detail.

What foods are good for your teeth?

Tooth enamel is the toughest tissue of the whole human body. Help keep the tough shell that covers the tooth at its strongest by adding these tooth-fortifying foods to your regular diet.

  • Crunchy fruit and vegetables – Crunchy fruits and veg will get your saliva glands going, which can help clean your teeth and gums2. Apples, while high in natural sugars, are fibrous enough to help scrub teeth and massage gums9.

  • Dairy products – Dairy products are often high in calcium, which is fundamental for strong healthy teeth5. Not all cheese products are high in calcium though, so be sure to check the label to see what percentage of your daily recommended calcium amount each serving is giving you12.

  • Leafy Greens – Spinach and other leafy greens are loaded with fibre, which is excellent for your teeth because it requires a lot of chewing to break down and generates saliva that cleans and rinses your teeth while also neutralising acid. Not keen on greens? A bowl of high-fibre beans offers the same benefit.

  • Foods that contains fluoride – While toothpaste is often a good source of fluoride, there are foods available that are naturally high in fluoride. Crab, black tea and even potatoes contain the substance, making them food that’s good for your teeth3.

Products to help your oral heath

Taking good care of your teeth and maintaining good oral health involves a regular and reliable cleaning routine alongside a healthy diet. Below we’ll explore a range of products to help clean and protect your mouth while promoting good oral health.

FAQs

Sugar-free sweets can be bad for your teeth if they contain acid, like sour flavoured sweets, especially if they’re sticky and get lodged in your teeth. However, sugar-free gum has been shown to cancel out the acid in your mouth by producing more saliva1.

If sugar hurts your teeth, then you might have tooth sensitivity. This can be caused by dental decay and enamel erosion, which allow acid-producing bacteria to enter the small holes in your teeth and attack the sensitive inner layers of your teeth10.

Yes, milk contains plenty of calcium which is good for keeping your bones and teeth strong. High levels of calcium can be found in other dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese. Cheese can also help reduce the acid levels in your mouth, which means less chance of decay9.

No, plain milk is good for your teeth. If you’re consuming sugary food and drinks that contain milk, such as milkshakes, ice-cream or chocolate, then the sugar can be bad for you, but milk on its own is good for teeth9.

It depends entirely on the sugar and acid content. Diet drinks that are sugar-free and low in acid can be good for your oral health, but some drinks, including fruit juices, often contain a lot of sugar and can also be acidic, which can wear down enamel2.

While you can remove the damaging effects of sugar and acid from your teeth, it isn’t possible to regrow enamel like you would bone or other tissues. Fluoride can be used to lightly repair enamel and strengthen the outer layers, but it can’t replace enamel that is totally lost11.