The Relationship of Nutrition and Dental Healh

The relationship of nutrition and dental health is a topic that young children are often rudely initiated in by the parents the world over. How many children have often been admonished by careful parents not too eat too many candies, sweets, snacks, and carbonated drinks. This age old story is probably repeated countless times the world over.

In analyzing the relationship of nutrition and dental health from a historical perspective it is obvious that dental health in the United States (and elsewhere) has improved over the last 4 decades. However, dental caries are still a significant health problem for specific groups within the population - not surprisingly children and adolescents.

While sugar is often the focus of any discussion regarding the relationship of nutrition and dental health, other causal factors contribute to poor oral health. One often overlooked factor is the deleterious acidity found in carbonated drinks consumed far too often today. Although people often decry the levels of sugar in sodas, fruit drinks, and other carbonated drinks, the acidity of these drinks is a source of real concern. The acidity of popular drinks overtime has been scientifically proven to dissolve the enamel of the tooth directly. In fact recent publications in dental health journals have demonstrated that the phosphoric acid in many of these drinks is nearly as acidic as battery acid!

The relationship of nutrition and dental health is obvious as illustrated by the examples above. While nutrition can have a negative effect of dental effect, it can also have a positive effect. For example the frequent consumption of unsweetened green tea can act as a potent anti-bacterial elixir to reduce the risk of infection in the mouth. Foods rich in Vitamin C and significant supplementation of the same can increase the the strength of collagen throughout the body - a substance found in abundance within teeth and in gums. In fact careful supplementation of micro-nutrients can have an amazing effect on oral health. CoQ10, popular for heart health has been scientifically proven to reduce the risk of periodontal disease!

The relationship of nutrition and dental health is important and perhaps complex but there are simple steps we can all take to insure optimal health so that we will not need dentures in old age!

P. El Massry

Know What Nutrition Means:

[http://know-what-nutrition-means.com/Relationship-of-Nutrition-and-Dental-Health.html]