Most people eat a fairly mixed diet which includes meat, vegetables, fruits, grains etc as well as foods that can obviously damage your teeth such as sweets and cakes etc. There is certainly a great deal of room for improvement in what we eat for most of us. For others though, it may not be the \u2018extras\u2019 that are potentially harmful but the diet itself. People choose these diets for ethical or health reasons usually, or quite often, simply to lose weight.<\/p>\n
While many people have made claims about the health implications of these diets, both good and bad, few have commented on what they might do to our teeth and gums. So, for today\u2019s blog we are going to have a look at the potential impact on oral health for any of our Acton patients who choose to follow the diets mentioned below.<\/p>\n
This is one of the most common groups of diet outside those that eat everything. It is often chosen for ethical reasons, but for some, it is done for health reasons. There is little doubt that it should, in theory, offer health benefits but it is worth remembering that you could survive for quite some time on a diet of vegetarian chips, cakes and biscuits – so it doesn\u2019t necessarily have to be a healthy diet at all just because it is vegetarian\/vegan.<\/p>\n
The potential pitfalls for this diet for many though, is that some people will eat a lot of fruit. Much of this is quite acidic and eating a large amount could lead to tooth enamel wear, leading to uncomfortably sensitive teeth<\/a>.<\/p>\n Vegans in particular are also at a risk of low levels of vitamin D and B12, both of which are important in maintaining strong and healthy teeth. If you keep on eye on these two issues though, you shouldn\u2019t have too many teeth related problems as long as you clean them properly, of course!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The popularity of this particular diet which emphasises the consumption of meat, fish, fruit and vegetables while avoiding processed foods including sugar, probably peaked a while ago but it still has a significant number of adherents.<\/p>\n Reducing sugar is obviously a good thing for our teeth, though the consumption of dried fruits to compensate for the lack of sweetness is a concern. Not only are these full of sugar (albeit unprocessed but just as harmful), but they are also very sticky and will remain on your teeth for a long time. Special care needs to be taken to clean your teeth, including a good flossing regime, if you follow this diet.<\/p>\n This one is usually followed in order to lose weight and it suggests avoiding, or at least reducing, high carb foods such as bread, pasta and snacks that are high in sugar. Again, this is a positive thing for our teeth.\u00a0 One side effect of this diet though, and especially when you start, for a while, is that saliva flow is often reduced. This means that bacteria and small food particles will not be washed away as efficiently. If you choose to follow this diet, make sure to drink additional water in order to stay well hydrated.<\/p>\nPaleo diet<\/h3>\n
Low carb diet<\/h3>\n
Mediterranean diet<\/h3>\n