Effects of Nutrition and Lifestyle on Dental Health
Austin, Texas (PRWEB) September 17, 2013 -- The human body is an intricate machine with a number of factors affecting its performance and longevity. Foods, drinks and lifestyle choices can play an enormous role in a person's general health as well as the health of their teeth and gums.
"We make decisions every day that can change the course of our oral health," said Dr. Chad Denman, Austin dentist / Round Rock dentist and owner of Family Tree Dental Group. "Parents should start early and instill good eating habits in their kids. Tooth decay is completely preventable, yet it's the number one most chronic disease among children."
For the healthiest teeth and the happiest smiles, Dr. Denman recommends focusing on the following three areas:
1. Diet
What a person eats and how often they eat can affect the development of tooth decay. Teeth are covered with a sticky film of bacteria and debris called plaque. If a person doesn't clean their teeth after eating, plaque converts the sugar in food to acid that can attack tooth enamel.
Plaque can also harden into calculus, which cannot be removed by regular brushing and flossing. Good ways to reduce the risk for tooth decay include:
* Brush your teeth twice a day
* Floss once a day
* Eat foods low in sugar
* Drink plenty of water
* Limit in-between meal snacking
* Schedule regular dental check-ups
Research has shown that some foods counter the effects of acid attacks such as cheese, peanuts and sugar-free gum. Remember the food a person eats can affect their teeth long after finishing a meal.
2. Lifestyle
It's generally understood that following a healthy lifestyle aids in the reduction of risks that can lead to many chronic diseases, and a recent study further highlighted the correlation. The likelihood of developing diseases like diabetes dropped by 78% when people:
* abstained from tobacco use,
* engaged in healthy dietary practices,
* regularly exercised, and
* had a BMI (Body Mass Index) under 30.
Participants who chose just one of the healthy lifestyle behaviors still reduced their risk for chronic diseases by nearly half.
Although dental diseases were not included in this study, the dental community has long been aware of the link between gum disease and diabetes, smoking and obesity - another good reason to kick unhealthy habits and live a healthy lifestyle.
3. Beverages
People are drinking more sugar-filled sodas and sweetened fruit drinks than ever before. Drinks high in sugar content often have no nutritional value and contribute to health problems like obesity and cavities. Bacteria that live in the mouth thrive on sugary foods and drinks, producing acids as a result. Over time, the acids destroy tooth enamel resulting in tooth decay.
To help keep a healthy smile, always read the nutritional label and look for drinks low in sugar. The better the quality of food put into the body, the better a person's overall health will be including the teeth and gums.
Family Tree Dental Group was founded in 2011 by Austin dentists - Round Rock dentists and identical twin brothers Drs. Chad and Shelby Denman to provide high-quality dental care in a state-of-the-art environment with careful attention to detail and deep personal respect. Family Tree Dental Group helps maintain the oral health of patients of all ages and cares for all dental needs under one roof. For more information, call (512) 458-5999 in Austin, (512) 310-3999 in Round Rock, or visit http://www.FamilyTreeDentalGroup.com.
Daniel Harvell, Social Edge Solution, LLC, http://SocialEdgeSolution.com, 512-428-6522, [email protected]
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