The Right Diet Can Protect Your Teeth

You can improve your oral health and reduce your risk for periodontal (gum) disease by eating a variety of foods as part of a well-balanced diet.¹ Here are some suggestions for maintaining optimal dental health:

• Consume plenty of calcium-rich foods, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese.

• Limit sugary snacks. Cookies, cakes, or candies contain a high amount of sugar, which can cause tooth decay. And try to brush or at least rinse after eating sweets.¹ 

• Don’t consume too many carbohydrates such as chips, bread, or pasta, because they can be as harmful to the teeth as candy.¹

• If you chew gum, choose sugar-free brands. Chewing sugarless gum has been proven to increase the flow of saliva, which reduces plaque, strengthens teeth, and reduces the amount of decay.²

• Cut down on the number of carbonated soft drinks you drink. Regular and diet sodas contain phosphorous and carbonation, which wears away the enamel on teeth.¹

• Watch the amount of fruit or vegetable juices that you drink. They also tend to be high in sugar.¹

• Limit snacking. More saliva is released during an actual meal, which, in turn, helps wash foods from the mouth and helps lessen the effects of acids.³

• Drink water with fluoride regularly. Studies show that fluoridation has reduced tooth decay by 18 to 40 percent among children and by almost 35 percent among adults.⁴

^{1 “}What Does Your Mouth Say About Your Overall Health?”Academy of General Dentistry, August 2007. http://www.agd.org/public/oralhealth/Default.asp?IssID=315&Topic=N&ArtID=3153#body Accessed 2008.

²  “ADA Seal of Acceptance Program:Chewing Gum.” American Dental Association. http://www.ada.org/ada/seal/chewing_gum.asp Accessed 2008.

³ “Diet and Oral Health.” American Dental Association. http://www.ada.org/public/topics/diet_faq.asp Accessed 2008.

⁴“Fluoridation: Nature’s Way to Prevent Tooth Decay.” American Dental Association. http://www.ada.org/public/topics/fluoride/fluoridation_nature.pdf Accessed 2008