Past The Teeth And Over The Tongue

Past The Teeth And Over The TongueAt Community Dental Group, Inc., we not only strive to bring our patients better health and a better smile through the practical services that we provide, but we also aim to facilitate overall wellness through education and advocacy for responsibility in health measures. One of the things that we most often find is that many of our Westlake Village patients do have good knowledge about proper oral hygiene, but are not always aware of other variables that can impact dental and overall health.

You Are What You Eat

Nutrition and food choices for supporting good dentition are not always as obvious as they seem. The connection that is often lost is that whatever is ingested will affect the teeth an gums both directly and indirectly, and this is where many concerns can arise.

In terms of obvious sources of damage to the teeth and gums, some foods do top the list:

  • Sugars – while the main focus is on processed high sugar foods, even natural sugars and clean carbohydrates can cause damage, simply due to the enzymes that are needed to break these components down. On a systemic level, these foods create acid conditions in the body, which can compromise cellular repair and lead to the decay of enamel.
  • Phosphates – soda consumption presents a major problem in oral health. The most common misconception is that it is only the sugars in these drinks that will impact the teeth, but it is actually the phosphates from carbonation that cause greater damage, since this element will take the place of calcium in the body and lead to softness in the enamel.
  • Nutrient deficient foods – not only do these consumables contain many chemicals and acids that can lead to tooth decay, but they also do not provide the body with the necessary building blocks to restore health. As a result, systemic deficiencies can also lead to poor immune response and gum disease.

Although brushing and flossing can address some of the surface concerns that eating and dental health have in common, they do not always consider the adjunct variables that impact health. This can mean that regular practices in oral hygiene should be revisited with a professional, but also that general habits in eating could be the reason for more problems with the teeth and gums.