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Diet and nutrition have a significant influence on oral health and can cause oral diseases and conditions such as caries, periodontal disease, erosion, and others.1
What goes through the mouth not only impacts our general health, but also that of our teeth and gums. In fact, if our nutrition is poor, the first signs often show up in our mouth.
Diet and Tooth Decay.
Dental caries is the most common disease worldwide. What the child eats and drinks can have a direct influence on the incidence and progression of tooth decay. 1
- It is well known that Carbohydrate consumption is an important nutritional factor in the development of caries. Sugars, specifically, are considered to be the most important drivers of caries development. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that free sugars be less than 10% of total energy intake.1
- Foods such as milk and dairy products, apples, cranberries, tea, and high-fiber foods have been suggested to decrease the risk of developing caries. 1
- Vitamin D plays a role in the regulation of calcium and phosphate metabolism. A 2016 cross-sectional study suggests an association between dental caries and lower serum levels of vitamin D in children.1
- Calcium is a mineral found in many foods, and is essential for forming and maintaining healthy teeth.1
Below are few tips for healthy teeth2
- Offer your child fruits and vegetables as snacks, replacing sweets and sugary snacks.
- Avoid sticky and chewy foods: jellybeans, raisins, peanut butter cookies stick to teeth and make it hard for the saliva to wash them away.
- Offer sweets, if needed, directly after meals when enough saliva is present to wash away sugars.
- Choose sugar-free or unsweetened food.
- Never put your child to sleep while holding his milk bottle. He should drink it using a cup then brush his teeth before going to bed.
- Encourage your child to drink water rather than juice and soda
- Make sure your child consumes food rich in Calcium for stronger teeth.
Dr. Khalil Mhaydleh
MD Paediatrician
