Stay Healthy….
Whilst Maintaining A Healthy Smile!
The health fad that started a few years ago seems to be sticking around, as everyone and anyone seems to be doing something to improve their health at any one time. Perhaps you’re weight lifting, perhaps you are working on 10k steps a day, maybe you’re dabbling in a fitness watch and just getting to know what your peak heart rate is. Maybe you’re giving ‘keto’ or plant based a go?
Whatever your new healthy habits, we want to help you maintain your beautiful smile regardless of your activities or diet. Whilst any efforts to be more healthy are excellent and Abbey Road Dental actively supports anybody looking to improve their health in a safe way, we know that some healthy habits might not be so healthy for the smile. Certain things can be damaging for the teeth, gums or general oral area, but with a little more awareness you can make adjustments to ensure you’re smiling about your latest health scores with a beautiful healthy smile at the same time!
Here’s a run down from your St John’s Wood dentist, NW8 on some of the latest health trends and how they might affect your oral health.
Protein Shakes & Products
Protein shakes and bars are an entire industry alone now, as muscle-building has become the passionate past time of many. The problem is that lots of these protein shakes and bars are packed full of sugar, sometimes as much as your average confectionery! Even worse is that many bodybuilders are consuming these convenient protein products regularly throughout the day. So the teeth are getting regularly bathed in sugar which gives nasty bacteria a constant feast, enabling them to produce the acid that damages the teeth, eventually causing cavities. For a tooth-friendly alternative, do try to use products that have safe artificial sweeteners such as stevia or that are unsweetened completely.
Smoothies & Juices
Smoothies and juices are still extremely popular and many of us try to include more nutrients and minerals from plants in our diet in this handy, tasty way. Many smoothies and juices that are shop bought are almost always as sugar-laden as standard sugar-filled fizzy drinks, so do only consume those as a special treat. With juices and smoothies you make at home, generally, the more veggies you can include in them the better they are for your teeth because they won’t include as much fruit sugar. In all cases, a really good way to get your fresh nutrients from fruit and vegetables is to eat the whole foods, or consume the smoothies or juices at mealtimes then follow with water, so limiting the teeth’s exposure to the sugar and rinsing as much away as possible.
Plant Based
Plant based diets are now commonplace as people look to reduce their negative effects on the environment, animals and their health by avoiding meat and dairy. We can’t comment on how healthy being plant based is on the body, but when it comes to the smile, it really does come down to being mindful of balance, in the same way you would if you ate meat and dairy. Consuming more fruits and vegetables is great for your body, including your oral health. However, eating more fruit than you did before might be bad for your teeth if you’re eating it throughout the day constantly and exposing your smile to acids and sugars. You may also need to keep an eye on your calcium consumption because you’re no longer consuming dairy.
Seeds, beans, lentils, almonds and some leafy greens are full of calcium and lots of plant based cereals, non-dairy milks and yogurts are fortified with calcium and other vitamins and minerals. There are always multivitamins if you want to ensure you’re not missing out on anything, but usually it is just vitamin B12 that is required as an addition with a plant based diet. With a plant based diet, your oral health needn’t suffer, it is just a case of monitoring what you’re consuming and adjusting it accordingly.
Keto
The keto diet relies on the body burning fat to create ketones for energy, rather than glucose which comes from carbs. Abbey Road Dental can’t condone or recommend this diet, but we can comment on how it might affect your oral health. The two key issues are ‘keto breath’ and a lack of vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables. With keto breath, which is a sweet smelling breath caused by the creation of a type of ketone called acetone which is expelled by the body in urine and the lungs, the issue is really just embarrassment and self awareness. You can disguise keto breath with herby waters and teas, sugar free chewing gum and good oral hygiene. But realistically it is like garlic in that it is coming from within, so without adjusting your diet you are unlikely to see much of a big change.
When it comes to nutrient consumption, the key issue with keto is that you’re eating a lot less fruits and vegetables because your main source of energy is fat and moderate amounts of protein. Nutrients from plants are so important for the health of your body and a lack of fruit and vegetables is thought to increase your risk of getting oral cancer. You can speak to your health professional about this problem and how to work around it whilst on this diet.
Sports
Moving more is an amazing thing for your body, but if you’re starting a sport, in particular a contact sport, your smile might be at risk. With contact sports, or sports with balls or any flying objects, your teeth, gums and oral tissues are at risk of injury. Injuries can be very simple knocks that can be repaired easily, or traumatic injuries that require surgery. One thing you can do is speak to Abbey Road Dental about a custom gum shield for protection. Although a gum shield can’t protect you against the worst injuries, it can help with gum and tooth protection during sports. A custom gumshield will also be more protective than a ‘one size fits all’ product or a ‘mould yourself’ product because of the high-quality materials and fitting process used.
Please Speak To Your Dentist About Your Current Oral Health Needs
We recommend all of our patients consult their GP or other medical experts before starting a new diet. If you are starting a new diet, or a new lifestyle that requires more oral care and consideration, please do get in touch. Abbey Road Dental is not here to judge, we are here to help! We can help keep an eye on your oral health in relation to your lifestyle and if any issues arise we can treat them and advise you on preventing them in future.
Please call us on 02076241603 to book an appointment at a time to suit you. We are here to help you achieve optimum oral health whilst you work on your overall health!