Your diet affects more than just your weight. Every food and beverage that you choose to consume enters the body through your mouth, leaving your oral health at the mercy of your dietary choices. Below are the components of a healthy diet to promote a healthy smile for life.

• Hydration is important: Water is the most necessary component of the human body. Ideally, water should make up 60 percent of your total body composition. If you are not drinking enough water, your entire body is more susceptible to illness and disease. Your mouth is no exception. Gum disease and dry mouth are serious issues related to inadequate hydration. According to the Mayo Clinic, you should drink 2-3 liters of water per day.
• Eat a balanced diet. Variety is important in a balanced diet. A healthy diet consists of whole foods, limiting processed foods, and limiting sugar and bad fats. Sugar is known to contribute to cavities, gingivitis, tooth decay, and tooth loss. Limiting sugar is important to your entire health, and it will benefit your smile.
• Eat in moderation. Everything in your body is connected. Eating too much leads to obesity, while eating too little leads to malnutrition. Both of these influence the type and amount of bacteria present inside your mouth. Oral bacteria are the cause of swollen, inflamed, and irritated bums.
• Stop all consumption of soft drinks. Water is the best choice for hydrating your body and sugar needs to be limited. Soft drinks are full of sugars and/or artificial sweeteners as well as acids. All of these mentioned ingredients lead to dehydration and tooth decay. Soft drinks leave a sticky film on the teeth that accelerates decay and gum infections.
• Replace processed foods with real foods. If most of the foods that you consume are packaged and processed, they contain many ingredients, additives, and preservatives that are unnatural for the body. High-nutrition foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains benefit the entire body by providing the vitamins, minerals, and good fats that the body needs.

At Gold Hill Dentistry, we want to encourage you to make healthy dietary choices to benefit your entire being. Everything you put into your mouth affects your teeth, gums, and entire body. Healthy choices will keep you healthy!