Whenever it comes to the health of our teeth, don’t we all have a natural tendency to directly link it to the way we brush or the time we take to maintain our oral hygiene? Well the truth is in reality, our diet plays an equal, if not a greater role, in preventing cavities and maintaining those pearly whites.
So first let us understand how does one get a cavity in the tooth?
On the intake of food, the bacteria in our mouth convert sugar and carbohydrates in the food into acids and it is the acid which attacks our teeth starting the decay process. The good news is that we can easily avoid cavities by modifying the kind of food we eat.
Teeth friendly foods: Fruits and vegetables require chewing, help release saliva, which wash away the acids. Best options are apples and carrots. Calcium rich food products such as cheese, milk, yogurt help in forming strong bones and teeth. Whole grain foods, legumes, sprouts, lean meat, fish and poultry are all good for the oral health.
Foods to avoid: Cookies, pies, biscuits, cakes etc. have high sugar content which produce acid and harm the tooth chips. White breads though not sugary, contain starch, which on intake. immediately convert into sugar. Snacking in between meals is extremely harmful. Instead have them occasionally along with meals.
Sugary drinks and beverages should be limited as they provide constant sugar exposure to the tooth and also cause stains on teeth. Sipping these drinks with a straw is advised and we should remember to rinse thereafter.
Water yourself: Drinking 12 to 14 glasses of water will help us reach our optimum levels of fluoride, which protects us from cavities. Drinking ample amount of water also washes away sticky food and stains from the junk food we consume.
Watching what you eat and of course proper brushing of teeth along with regular dental health checkups can easily keep those cavities at bay.
So eat right and keep that beautiful healthy smile on!!

(The writer, Dr Gunjan Gawai, is a practising dentist and is the owner at ‘Your Smile Dental’ center at Shop No. 17, Grd floor, Avenue Bld, Behind Neelkanth Sweets, Plot 12, Sec 20, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, 9820036270. She along with her team addresses all kinds of dental treatment modalities with the best quality equipments at affordable prices.)