Maintaining a proper diet is essential for good oral health. When and how often you consume certain foods and beverages affects your general health and the health of your teeth and gums.
Sugar, Plaque and Tooth Decay
The most common effect of diet on the mouth is the development of dental caries (tooth decay) and enamel erosion. Foods containing any kind of sugar contribute to tooth decay; hence the recent surge in sugar-free alternatives. Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that accumulates on your teeth, thrives on the sugars found in the everyday foods we eat.
If you do not clean your teeth properly after eating, plaque bacteria use food sugars to produce acids that destroy the thin, hard outer layer of tooth tissue (enamel). Dental erosion is the breakdown of tooth structure caused by acid attacks on the teeth. As time passes, tooth decay occurs, resulting in cavities.
Plaque also produces substances that irritate the gums, making them red, sensitive and susceptible to bleeding. This can lead to gum disease (a leading cause of tooth loss in adults), in which the gum tissues pull away from the teeth, forming pockets that fill with bacteria and pus. If the gums are not treated, the bone around the teeth is destroyed, and teeth may become loose or require extraction.
Nearly all foods, including milk, breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables, contain some form of sugar. However, not all foods with sugars should be removed from your diet because several of them have important nutrients that your body needs. To help control the amount of sugar you consume, read food labels and choose foods and beverages that are low in added sugars. Added sugars often are present in soft drinks, candy, cookies and pastries.