It’s a common notion that people who smoke, chew tobacco, or use alcohol and drugs are prone to tooth diseases. This is true in many ways. Also true is that those who haven’t smoked or tasted alcohol may also experience tooth conditions. Most people, unfortunately, give more importance to what oil they use for their vehicles than to what food they put in their mouths. At school, we have been taught about economics, history, science and technology, but rarely do we get to hear what is required to maintain a healthy set of teeth.

We are the leading country in terms of technology and many other things, but when it comes to teeth health, we lag behind. Why? Because nutrition for teeth health is not considered a subject of importance and surely not a topic that is taught in grammar schools. Additionally, parents do not talk about proteins and carbohydrates that are essential for teeth the way they do about computers, literature or a Lacrosse game. The result is a lot of people who know nothing about good food or food that is considered to be favorable for health and overall well-being.

Luckily, there is still time to improve your teeth health, no matter what age you are. Getting the right nutrition is so beneficial in our lives. For example, there are some folks who have a hard time swallowing because of illness or accidents. SimplyThick can give them the help they need by thickening their liquids to make them easier to swallow so they can get the vitamins and minerals they need each day.

The fundamental part of attaining healthy teeth consists of balancing caloric intake and burning it in equal amount. As you can see, this rule of thumb holds good for the health of any parts of the human body, not just the teeth. Taking more calories than the body needs means you are accumulating fat and gaining weight. Obesity causes a multitude array of diseases including teeth decay and oral diseases. In essence, fat storage will interfere with the normal functioning of the various organs and this includes teeth as well. On the other hand, what you consume as vitamins and minerals plays a major role in maintaining that perfect smile.

The teeth require certain essential nutrients that are considered optimal for its functioning, such as calcium, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin B12. Where these nutrients come from matters a lot. Note that in describing nutrients, the word “essential” stresses the importance of them, because they are not optional. The body must consume them in order to attain a good set of teeth. However, these nutrients are not produced on their own, they need to be received from outside sources. Each of these nutrients combine with one another and carries out tasks that make the teeth strong and healthy. And since these are many nutrients, not just one, you need to eat a variety of food to get them all. It’s very similar to filling the gas tank of your vehicle, but also making sure that the oil is changed on time and water is full in the radiator. The nutrients need to be in balanced proportion as well.

Our lack of knowledge about the healthy sources of nutrients for teeth health is ruining our body to a great extent. What was once considered a balanced meal now comes in small to mega large packages minus the essential nutrients. Meals are processed heavily and void of all ingredients that protect teeth. Salads are overloaded with cheese, meat is studded with preservatives and potatoes are baked in refined oil. All these are not going to help teeth in any way. In fact, they can cause early teeth decay, not to mention other serious conditions such as gum disease and oral cancer.

What we really need at this point is to educate ourselves and others about what constitutes a good meal that is “teeth friendly”. And supplements are not a substitute for these healthy meals. They need to be obtained directly from fresh fruits, vegetable, fish and lean meat. That bag of M&Ms is not an alternative to natural sugar from fruits. Similarly, eating hot dogs made of processed meat, although containing vitamin B12, will do more harm than good to the teeth. You can get Omega 3 acids by eating fish or leafy greens. Calcium can be obtained from multiple food sources as well. By adopting good eating habits, you are not only protecting your teeth but preventing heart disease as well as asthma, arthritis and depression.