Good oral health is essential for the overall physical and emotional well-being. To help provide all the important nutrients to maintain a healthy mouth, diet plays a vital role. Good nutrition is an important prerequisite for proper growth and development, especially in children and growing adults. This can even benefit you to achieve healthy teeth and gums.
Diet counseling by dentists offering family dentistry in Weston, MA can help millions of patients know the importance of a good diet in oral health and wellness.
Why is a good diet essential?
As per the American Academy of Pediatrics, children need a well-balanced supply of essential nutrients to support their healthy growth and development. It is crucial to consider the health of your teeth and their supporting structures, as your oral cavity serves as a gateway to other bodily systems. A proper, balanced diet should include adequate proportions of proteins, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and fats.
A good diet plays a crucial role in dentistry as it directly impacts your oral health in several ways:
- Prevents tooth decay
- Supports gum health
- Promotes strong teeth
- Reduces risk of oral diseases
- Stimulates saliva production
- Supports healing
- Maintains overall health
What are the foods to be eaten for a healthy oral cavity?
Include the following foods in your child’s diet to reap maximum benefits:
- Proteins like eggs and chickpeas
- Lean meat like fish and chicken
- Nuts like almonds and walnuts
- Fruits like berries, melons and pears
- Vegetables like spinach, broccoli, cucumber and celery
- Cheese and low-fat dairy products like butter and paneer
- Calcium sources like milk and curd
- Xylitol-sweetened gum
- Fluoridated water
What foods should be avoided?
Though an essential part of your child’s growth, certain foods can be harmful when consumed regularly. Lessen the risk of dental caries and decay by limiting your child’s intake of certain foods or avoiding them altogether. These include:
- Sticky, chewy foods like caramel, lollipops, and candies
- Desserts like ice cream
- Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, sports drinks, sweetened fruit juice, and chocolate milk
Make sure to brush your child’s teeth after eating sticky and sugary snacks. Also, limit snacking in between meals since it does not provide sufficient time for your mouth to produce saliva to flush out the bacteria and plaque.
Takeaway
A good and healthy diet loaded with nutrients is fundamental to your child’s growth and development. Diet, along with good oral hygiene practices like brushing, flossing, regular dental visits, and professional cleaning, can give you healthy teeth, body, and mind.
