When oral and dental health is mentioned, nutrition should directly come to mind. Although it is not given due importance, it is an undeniable fact that every food we eat directly affects our oral health and dental structure.
With today's technology, the understanding of disease and protection from disease is also changing. In the past, when a person contracted a disease, it was treated and an attempt was made to find a solution. With current possibilities, the goal is to take precautions and eliminate the disease before it reaches the individual, that is, to 'protect health'. If we look at it from this perspective, it is very important to protect our oral health, as in other parts of our body.
According to today's research, it is known that tooth decay and tooth loss occur due to bad eating habits. Especially the formation of cavities is a problem that almost everyone has experienced. It is an undesirable condition because it causes severe pain and visual problems.
Caries formation
To put it simply; Our mouth consists of a basic environment and our saliva secretion has the task of keeping this pH value balanced at all times and protecting the mouth from bacteria. However, in some cases, the inside of the mouth becomes acidic and if these acids reach the teeth, decay occurs over time due to the influence of bacteria. In advanced stages, tooth loss may occur.
How should we proceed?
To prevent all this, we must stay away from foods that will lower the pH of the mouth. For example; Carbohydrates that start to be digested in the mouth, junk food or sugary foods we eat can cause harm in the long term. If we consume the sugar we want with different foods at the main meal, we will balance the situation and minimize the damage. In addition, excessive salty foods, frequent alcohol consumption, snacks such as french fries, sugary dried fruits, chips, crackers and cookies also have a negative effect.
Bacteria benefit from all the nutrients on the tooth. For example; A carbohydrate food that fills the tooth cavity will damage the tooth along with bacteria unless it is brushed.
Childhood
There are many children who grow up unconscious about oral health. It tastes. According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), it has been determined that 60-90% of school-age children worldwide have tooth decay.
Similarly, if we look at Turkey, Turkey's Oral and Dental Health Profile was published in 2004. In his study, this rate was found to be 61%.
Improper nutrition and inadequate dental cleaning lead to these consequences. Experts recommend brushing your teeth twice a day, after breakfast and before going to bed at night. This is true not only in childhood but also in adults. Brushing your teeth before going to bed is very important. At night, with our decreased saliva secretion, our mouth becomes partially open to bacteria. It is best to sleep after cleaning our teeth to minimize the damage caused by bacteria. However, it is necessary to stay away from carbohydrate foods before going to sleep at night. This habit is a habit that can lead not only to deterioration of oral health but also to obesity in the future.
Infancy period
If we look at the infancy period, breastfeeding mothers can breastfeed after night breastfeeding. If you put your baby to sleep by wiping his teeth with a cloth, he will protect his child from 'early childhood caries' that may occur in the future. Early childhood caries is tooth decay that may occur due to the carbohydrates in milk.
Foods with positive effects
We consume many different foods during the day. Among these, there are also nutrients that act as protectors for our teeth. For example; Protein-based foods are protective because they create an alkaline environment. Foods such as eggs, fish, chicken and red meat, especially cheese, support dental health.
In addition, sugar-free gums, that is, gums containing sweeteners, also have a protective effect on teeth. Xylitol contained in the chewing gum reduces the number of bacteria in the mouth and creates an antibacterial environment in the mouth by increasing saliva secretion.
Rinsing the mouth with water after eating and especially after consuming acidic and sugary drinks will neutralize the inside of the mouth to some extent. Additionally, large residues remain in the mouth. Cleaning the bees will reduce bad breath.
Bad odor It also protects from odors. However, some situations may unintentionally cause bad breath. For example; Bad breath may occur unintentionally in people with diabetes, kidney disease or liver disease. Apart from these, a low-carb diet may cause bad breath because it causes ketone formation in our body.
For this reason, our main goal is to protect our health above all else.
Eating a balanced diet during the day; Consuming healthy vegetables, having regular and sufficient meals, consuming rich grains, staying away from excessively fatty and sugary foods, and most importantly, having breakfast are important steps to protect our health.
Let's not forget that the body is always in communication with itself. As much as we care about our oral and dental health, we should also consider other diseases, and we should not neglect to see a specialist regularly.
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