How nutrition can affect your oral health.
I’d like to begin by stating that I am a foodie. Aside from a few years when I raced around the table rather than eating my meals (up to age 4, I’d say), I have always enjoyed eating. There have been some hard-fought lessons about food and eating that I’ve learned over the years.
- When it comes to dessert or a splurge of any kind, MAKE SURE THE CALORIES ARE WORTH IT. If you are not truly enjoying every bite, stop eating it.
- It takes your brain 20 minutes to register you are full. EAT LESS, and chances are you will discover you’ve had enough. Feeling over full is never pleasant. Remind yourself of that as you are pondering that second helping of potatoes. Especially at those amazing meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas, I constantly remind myself that there will be other meals…I do not need to eat everything today. And I go back to rule #1.
- Fill HALF YOUR PLATE WITH VEGETABLES (preferably raw, steamed, or lightly seasoned), a quarter with protein, and a quarter of carbs. Use a smaller plate and it will appear you have more food.
- FOOD SHOULD TASTE GOOD. Healthy food does NOT equal bland or tasteless. I get so upset when a restaurant cannot make a healthy option that tastes good. It’s the sign of a very uncreative culinary team. Herbs and spices are calorie-free. A small amount of butter, salt, or sugar can increase the flavour without killing you. Balance, and knowledge about food, is key.
- READ LABELS when you grocery shop. Look for products that have few ingredients – and ones you can pronounce! The Heart and Stroke Foundation has just announced guidelines about the amount of sugar we should have each day. Ideally, 5% of our diet should be sugars – and of course, the bulk of them should be coming from naturally occurring sugars in fruits and vegetables. (Not juice. You’ll be over your limit in no time!) Hopefully, labeling will not be far behind, so you can see where the sugar comes from, so that you maintain oral health.
- DRINK WATER. Not pop (Diet ones either; fake sugar is increasing obesity, not lowering it.). Not energy drinks. Not a goopy coffee drink with whipped cream (but see #1 again). Coffee (black or with milk – the milk neutralizes the acid in coffee) is deemed to be okay by most studies these days. Most alcohol is full of calories (beer especially – but also consider the mix you use, or those highly sweetened coolers, etc.). If you’re not used to drinking much water it can seem a chore. Start your day off with a glass of it and you’ll find it gets you off on the right foot. Keep sipping all day. Drink a glass before a meal and you’ll feel less hungry. Your urine should be clear; if it’s not, drink more water!
- I’M HUNGRY!! If you’re in need of losing weight, you might feel this for a while because your stomach has been stretched to accommodate the overeating. In terms of snacking though, munching on crunchy vegetables is always an option. For something more filling, raw nuts (not highly salted), a bit of cheese, plain yoghurt with fruit and honey (if needed), are all things that are good for your teeth and for the rest of you, too. I try to sprinkle flaxseed on everything I can think of (yoghurt, cereal, smoothies, in all my baking, pancakes…), as it’s a great source of fibre and omega 6. The roasted kind has a nutty flavour that really adds to anything!
- SUGARLESS GUM can help prevent bacteria from forming on your teeth. We can’t always be near our toothbrush. Chew on a piece of sugarless gum – preferably with xylitol -after a meal. Our kids have not had a cavity yet, and I thank gum for this. (It isn’t their fine brushing skills, I’m afraid!)
How does all of this relate to dental/oral health?
Your mouth is a vital part of your body. It allows you to chew, taste, swallow and breathe. When it is sick, chances are other areas of your body are too. Good (nutritious) food and lots of water keeps you and your teeth healthy. Of course, nothing replaces proper brushing and regular flossing, too! Visiting your dental office twice a year is always a good idea. Prevention is so much easier, less painful, and cheaper than facing more elaborate dental work. And dentures are not the easy way out some people think they are. Take care in there!
Heart and Stroke Foundation – Sugar guidelines http://www.oasisdiscussions.ca/2014/09/19/ssu/
Nutrition Action Newsletter – this is a fantastic resource for health information, recipes, comparisons between products – and there is a Canadian version! https://www.cspinet.org/nah/canada.htm
