Good nutrition is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle but where dentistry is concerned nutrition is paramount. Even visiting your dentist on a daily basis will not make up for the destruction that poor nutrition can cause.

If your oral hygiene is suffering the problems probably stem from your dietary habits. With every meal that we eat, our foods come into contact with germs and bacteria that are harboured in the mouth. It is the exposure to this bacterium that can cause plaque to form and this can be extremely destructive to the teeth.

It is essential to choose your foods wisely in order to minimize the formation of plaque, ensuring healthy teeth and gums. As well as the obvious baddies such as sweets and sugar filled snacks there are many seemingly healthy options that will not help. Some fruits, vegetables, cereals and bread have a high starch content which is harmful to the teeth.

On the other hand - Calcium and Vitamin D are the structure to promoting oral nutrition. Vitamin D helps to absorb calcium which will in turn increase strength of the teeth.

Calcium enriched foods include:

* Milk
* Cheese
* Yoghurt's
* Fortified rice
Along with certain Soya products.

Whilst great sources of Vitamin D are:

* Salmon
* Tuna Fish
* Herring
* Trout
And fortified products such as orange juice and margarine.

A healthy balanced diet is key to ensuring good nutrition in the body and as always moderation is the key. Often cutting out food groups because of their content can also be harmful. In addition to a diet rich in Calcium and Vitamin D the basic principles must also be followed.

Always drink plenty of water, cut down on sugary snacks, brush the teeth twice daily and ensure regular flossing.

Learn more about this author, Stacie Dexter.
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