Tag Archives: diet
Lifestyle, Diet and Dental Health
Dental health is largely influenced by diet and lifestyle and there is correlation between diet, lifestyle and dental health. Dental health is not merely absence of dental disease but it is complete well being of teeth as well as structures and tissues in oral cavity.
But how many of us, in our busy lifestyle actually stop and think about dental health care? With the advent of innovative snacks and fast foods as well as innovation of technology such as television, computers, mobiles, internet etc , lifestyles of a person has changed drastically which is affecting physical, social and overall body health so as dental health!
How lifestyle affects dental health -
Lifestyle is separate factor that can influence oral health biologically.
Studies have shown that there is inverse relation between frequency of tooth brushing to dental caries. Oral hygiene habits are correlated with healthy food consumption, use of vitamines and regular physical activities among adolescents (Nutbeam et al 1989).
Relationship between general health, social factors and oral health in woman at age of retirement were analyzed in studies by P Norlen, H Ostberg and A L Bjorn. The study was performed in Malmo in 1985-86 included 165 women retiring from work. Women with high intake of energy had more decayed tooth surfaces than other women. Edentulous women and women with removable dentures consumed more coffee than those women with many remaining teeth.
Components of lifestyle like dietary habits, oral hygiene practices (such as brushing ,flossing), smoking, alcohol consumption affects dental health.
People with less active life style had more symptoms related to teeth and gums and they visit dentist less often (Peterson and Nortov 1989).
How diet affects dental health -
Frequency and type of diet always have prominent effect on dental health. Fibrous food is more beneficial than high calorie highly cooked food for keeping good oral hygiene.
Snacks in between meals have negative (inverse) relation with decay of teeth or say ‘dental caries’.
Sugar is a principal factor that cause dental caries. The sugars containing dental caries, in decreasing order of cariogenicity are Sucrose, Glucose and Fructose.
In 1967, Ernest Newburn described Sucrose as ‘the arch criminal of dental caries’. This statement was based upon studies of sugar consumption per capita which shown that high caries prevalance was associated with high sugar consumption.
Vipeholm studies (1945-55) were done on patients of Vipeholm Mental Hospital in Lund, Sweden, which shown that frequency of eating and nature of sugar-containing food influenced cariogenicity. Sticky form of sugars like Caramel and chocolates are shows more cariogenicity.
No doubt sucrose is responsible for dental caries. The easiest way to prevent caries is to eliminate sucrose from the diet, but it is very difficult because sucrose is very rich source of energy available in plenty amount and most importantly it is cheap. Majority of people enjoy eating food containing sucrose.
So there have been many attempts to identify non cariogenic sugar substitute for sucrose. Some of them are Xylitol, Sorbitol, Saccharine and Cyclamate. But due to unmatching properties with sucrose, these substitutes are not being used widely. In early 1970′s studies led by professors Kauko K Makinen and Arje Scheinin (University of Turku, Finland), first discovered positive uses of xylitol in dentistry and proved that xylitol is an important supplement in prevention of dental caries.
Intake of sugar is essential for overall health however dietary control is the most important factor in prevention of dental caries.
Thus, Balanced ‘Diet’ and Healthy ‘Lifestyle’ is the important need to raise ‘Dental Health’ status.
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~ magicaldentistry 
