Healthy Lifestyle: Important Factors of Having Healthy Teeth
Keeping your pearly whites healthy is not only about brushing them twice a day. Your oral health is a central part of your overall health, so it’s important to take a holistic approach to maintain it. A balanced and healthy lifestyle will benefit you in a multitude of ways besides being good for your teeth, and it’s never too late to take it up. Here are a few considerations you should keep in mind when it comes to developing a lifestyle that will ensure the longevity of your teeth.
Eating healthy
What we eat reflects on our bodies and the same is true for your teeth. To keep them healthy and strong, a healthy diet is paramount. You need to take in the right nutrients – if you fail to do so, your body will be more susceptible to infection, which might contribute to the development or worsening of periodontal disease. In addition, the foods that come into contact with your teeth also greatly affect their health. Make sure your diet is balanced. Eat high-fibre foods such as vegetables, foods rich in calcium, whole grains for gum health, and healthy fats like avocado and olive oil.
Limiting certain foods
As we just said, it’s important to pay attention to what kind of foods come in contact with your teeth. Sugars are some of the biggest culprits in tooth decay since the bacteria in our mouths break down sugar into acids which damage our tooth enamel. Needless to say, you should consider cutting back on sugary foods, starting with sugary drinks. However, sugar is in a lot of other foods too, some of which you might not expect, so you should start reading labels and making informed decisions when shopping. Instead of flavoured milk, go for regular, and mind pastries and other starchy foods since they stick to your teeth and continue dealing damage. Besides sugary foods and drinks, you should also be mindful of acidic ones. Rinse your mouth after consuming acidic drinks but refrain from brushing your teeth immediately.
Staying hydrated
Water is the source of life and it’s necessary for our bodies to function normally. Staying hydrated is an important factor in keeping your teeth healthy as well. Saliva plays an important role in protecting your teeth because it’s what neutralizes acids as you eat. A dry mouth can lead to complications – it can contribute to plaque build-up and accelerate tooth decay, so keeping yourself properly hydrated in order for your body to be able to maintain optimal saliva levels is paramount. In addition, drinking water naturally cleans your mouth and teeth. It washes away food residue and bacteria, so make sure you drink plenty!
Cutting back on snacking
If you’re someone who likes to snack frequently, you might want to rethink this habit. When you’re eating between meals, your body does not produce as much saliva, and we already mentioned what important role saliva plays in your oral health. This leaves food residue on your teeth for long periods of time. In addition, you should give your jaw a break: constantly chewing can put a strain on it.
Chewing gum
The topic of chewing gum in the context of oral health is a complex one. On the one hand, it’s a good habit that can benefit your teeth in certain situations. On the other hand, we just mentioned that excessive chewing might not be the best for your jaw. Sugar-free chewing gum can be a great substitute for snacking since it won’t damage your teeth. It even boosts your saliva production, which is another notable benefit. Therefore, this is a great tool for those who struggle with a dry mouth, but make sure you don’t overdo it.
Stress and oral health
You cannot separate one aspect of your health from another. Unfortunately, if you’re struggling in one department, it will likely affect others. Chronic stress can be very detrimental to your physical and mental health, which can reflect on your oral health in several ways, too. You are more likely to clench your jaw if you are stressed, which might result in clenched teeth and even teeth grinding, damaging your tooth enamel. Stress might also affect your eating habits and change them for the worse. It might cause you to eat less healthy and snack more, the effects of which have already been detailed. Working on stress management is thus paramount for your overall health.
Quitting bad habits
Besides stress, there are other lifestyle factors that ruin not only your oral but your general health. While stress may be mostly out of your control, your bad habits are things you can change if you are determined enough. A habit such as smoking can ruin your efforts at creating a healthy and wholesome lifestyle. Smoking not only causes unsightly discolouration to your teeth, but it has other, more serious long-term effects. For example, it interferes with your saliva production, leaving your teeth more susceptible to decay. It also affects your gums, decreasing blood flow. Even oral cancer is more common amongst smokers than non-smokers. While it might not be easy to quit smoking, it is a necessary step in preserving your oral health.
Maintaining your oral hygiene
Good hygiene habits are a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle. Oral hygiene is something that cannot be neglected if you want to preserve your pearly whites and prevent costly procedures later in the future. Besides brushing your teeth regularly with a soft-bristled brush that you change every 3-4 months, you should also floss daily to remove food residue from between your teeth and other hard-to-reach crevices. Add a mouthwash to the mix and stick to your routine for a healthy smile.
Regular dentist visits
Finally, it is important to emphasize that prevention is key when it comes to oral health. While good habits and a healthy lifestyle will play a large role in this, you should still visit your dentist regularly to spot problems in the making. Besides mitigating health concerns, your dentist might also be able to suggest you the appropriate cosmetic procedures to restore your teeth that have been damaged in some way. For instance, the appropriate whitening procedure can fix your stained teeth, while dental bonding can correct minor cracks and chips or even irregular gaps. You can even go for protective treatments to ensure the longevity of your teeth.
Healthy lifestyle changes will benefit you in every way, not just in terms of your oral health. Taking care of yourself is taking care of your teeth, and it’s a decision you will be grateful you have made!