Diet and Dental Health

Summer is almost here and I have a great summer project for you. That project is your health!

I’m not talking about toning up, dieting or anything else that is so ambitious. What I suggest is that you observe your health over these summer months. That might provide you with an idea of just exactly where you and your family members are when it comes to your overall health.

Here is the project I propose. Take the next three summer months to keep a food journal. Simply make a log of what you eat and when you eat it. This usually gives people a pretty good insight into areas they might be able to improve nutritionally.

In terms of your dental health, you may want to look for how and when you eat certain foods. Look for times when you eat certain foods. It is commonly known that sugar causes tooth decay. So, you should know that a good habit is to brush within 20 minutes of eating a big sugary snack or treat. This cuts down on the amount of time the sugar will attack the teeth. Acids caused by sugar breaking down attack the teeth for up to 20 minutes. On a food journal, you will see when you routinely leave yourself open to greater effects of high sugar foods.

Also, watch for those isolated snacks. Foods that are eaten as part of meal cause less harm on teeth because more saliva is produced during a meal. This helps wash foods from the mouth, thus lessening the effect of sugars on the teeth.

You will learn more about yourself if you try this summer food journal. No need to be perfect. Just give it a try and if you want to bring it in to review with me on your next cleaning visit, then I will be happy to help you interpret the results and, hopefully, help you continue good oral health.

What are you doing with your tax rebate?

Last week, the first tax rebate checks started to arrive. So, what are you going to do with your piece of the economic stimulus? Many people are taking care of some basics that have been put off. If your dental health or appearance has fallen into that category, this could be your opportunity to care for yourself a little.

In the past few months, I have blogged about replacing black or grey fillings with white resin fillings. This has a direct relation to you long term health. If you short-term dental health needs include cleanings, routine checkups and screenings or if you have been putting off asking me about a pain or problem, why not spend a little of your rebate on your dental health.

If you are up-to-date on your dental health maintenance, are feeling now jaw, neck or head pains that could be associated with TMJ and you generally feel good, you may want to consider visiting me to whiten your teeth. If you have never tried it or if you are ready for another whitening after a few years, just contact our office to schedule an appointment.