Q. How healthy are ‘healthy’ food products such as juices and smoothies?
A. Fruit juices and smoothies that are often labelled as ‘healthy’ may not be healthy after all, due to the amount of sugar some of them contain.
It’s always a challenge to educate people on how much sugars are hidden in food and drink that are labelled ‘healthy’ – often, they contain high levels of sugar within them. Many people are unaware of this, due to the fact that they are endorsed by famous health professionals and celebrities. Some patients are often surprised when they continually have problems with tooth decay, even though they seem to be following the advice given by their dentists – of brushing twice a day and using the correct toothpaste.
There’s high chance this can be because of hidden sugars within their diets, especially in these apparently ‘healthy’ drinks and snacks. As dentists, it’s important for us to provide useful information to our patients, to highlight the dangers that hidden sugars can pose for their oral health as well as their overall health.
Sugar causes your teeth to decay because it reacts with bacteria that is present on them, creating acid which attached to the tooth surface. When your teeth start to decay, it’s important to visit the dentist for an assessment which can either lead to the decaying teeth needing to be filled in or taken out altogether. Regularly consuming high levels of sugar can have detrimental effects on your oral and general health. Especially, if it’s being done with the intention of pursuing a healthier lifestyle.
Q. What foods can I eat to keep my teeth and gums healthy?
A. It might not be the first thing that comes to mind but the difference between having healthy gums and a picture-perfect smile could be your diet. Even if your dental hygiene is of a high standard, not watching what you eat can make it difficult to keep your teeth healthy and up to a good standard. Our teeth are important. That’s why the majority of us like to take such good care of them by brushing them thoroughly twice a day, flossing and using mouthwash.
Even though we like to take such good care of our mouths, tooth decay and gum disease seem to be some of the most common diseases affecting many of us.
It’s often quite easy to overlook the fact that what foods we eat are important to how good our overall oral health can be. But it doesn’t have to be that way, as there are many types of foods out there that you may not be aware of that not only cause minimal damage to your teeth but can provide a huge improvement to your oral health.
Therefore, eating foods that are rich in calcium, vitamin D and vitamin C can help to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Better still, these foods can be found quite easily in the supermarkets. Food items like yoghurt, cheese and low-fat milk are rich in calcium. Fruit and vegetables such as oranges, kiwi, strawberries, broccoli and kale are very good sources of vitamin C whilst fish, cod liver oil and egg yolk are great sources of vitamin D. For more information about dental issues, contact Synergy Dental Clinics Preston, preston@synergydental.org.uk or go to https://synergydental.org.uk/synergy-dental/dentist-in-preston/