4 Reminders For A Mouth-Healthy Diet While Wearing Braces

OUR DIETS AFFECT EVERY PART of our bodies. Oral health can improve or deteriorate drastically based on the things we eat! Many patients notice this especially while they’re wearing braces. An unhealthy diet can cause tooth decay and gum disease, which, if it becomes severe, can disrupt orthodontic treatment.

Stick to these tips on eating healthy to keep your health and your orthodontic treatment right on track.

First, Cut Down On Sugar

Sugar has become far too big a part of our modern diets. In addition to making us sick and fat, it erodes our teeth! Avoid frequent snacking on sugary foods, especially things that are sticky or slow dissolving (like most candies). The constant presence of sugar turbocharges acid-producing bacteria, eating away at our tooth enamel.

The biggest offenders are soda, sports drinks and energy drinks. What makes them especially dangerous is that we tend to sip them, coating teeth in sugar over and over again for long periods of time. Steer clear of these drinks while you’re in braces!

Second, A Nutrient-Rich Diet Supports Oral Health

Our mouths require many different nutrients. Here are some of the most important ones:

• Calcium: remineralizes teeth – found in yogurt, fish and leafy greens
• Iron: promotes tongue health and prevents sores – found in red meat, grains and nuts
• Vitamin C: essential for gum health – found in citrus, sweet potatoes and peppers
• Vitamin A: accelerates mouth healing – found in milk, leafy greens and orange and yellow fruits and vegetables
• Vitamin B3 (niacin): promotes good breath and reduces swelling – found in poultry, peanuts and potatoes

Of course this isn’t a complete list, but it may give you an idea of the kind of balanced diet you need for good oral health. Be conscious of how you fuel your body and mouth!

Third, Drink More Water

Overhauling our entire diets can be a significant undertaking. But here’s one easy thing we can all start doing today: drink more water! Drinking water helps wash away plaque-forming films and keeps saliva flowing.

Fourth, Oral Health Is Closely Linked To Overall Health

You might expect us to just say “stay away from candy,” but we believe our mission extends beyond that. Oral care is an integral part of overall health, and we’re here to support you in your pursuit of total wellbeing.

Thank you for being our valued patient and friend!

Top image by Flickr user U.S. Department of Agriculture used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.