Welcome once again to the blog of Bayou Dental Group, where we take a moment to shed some light on the oral health issues important to the wonderful people of Monroe, LA. If there is one thing you need to lead a healthy lifestyle full of energy and zest, it\u2019s a strong set of teeth. Having healthy teeth allows you to eat the nutritious foods necessary to feel great and stay well.<\/p>\n
But chewing food is not all your teeth are good for. A beautiful smile is a delightful way to greet people, new friends and old. You also depend on your teeth to speak clearly. As you can plainly see, the health of your teeth affects so many different aspects of your life, that to neglect their care could be catastrophic to your way of life.<\/p>\n
We all learned the importance of brushing our teeth at a very young age, but that is only one aspect of responsible and effective dental care. What you eat, and don\u2019t eat, can affect the health of your teeth as much as any oral hygiene routine. Surely, you\u2019re aware of the dangers sugar and acid poses to your oral health. In fact, we recently posted a blog on the dangers of drinking diet soda and how you should avoid drinking them. In this blog, we want to focus on something that is good for your teeth, something that will fight the effects of sugar and acid, and that something is dietary fiber.<\/p>\n
How a High Fiber Diet Helps Your Teeth<\/p>\n
Foods that are high in fiber, like fruits, leafy green vegetables, nuts, and seeds, usually require a lot of chewing. When you chew vigorously, your saliva production goes into overdrive. This is very healthy for your teeth and gums. The saliva will clean sugar and other food particles off of your teeth, while also neutralizing the acid that comes with a lot of foods.<\/p>\n
The biggest benefit to having lots of saliva, though, is the antibacterial properties present in saliva. Did you ever wonder why your instinct is to stick your finger in your mouth when you get a paper cut? It\u2019s because your saliva is a natural antibiotic that fights the germs that cause infection. It also fights the bacteria that causes tooth decay. So, stimulating salivation is one of the best things you can do to protect your oral health.<\/p>\n
Other Health Benefits of Dietary Fiber<\/p>\n
The great thing about fiber is that it helps more than just your oral health. In fact, dietary has health benefits that span across almost every system of the body. Your heart stays healthier when you eat lots of fiber. You are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and you lose weight more easily. You will have less digestive ailment, like IBS and diverticulitis. All from maintaining a diet that is high in fiber.<\/p>\n
There are are variety of fiber supplements available to purchase these days, from pills, to powders, to gummies. But none of these are as effective as eating foods that are high in dietary fiber, especially when it come to your oral health. You may have noticed that there is not much chewing involved in those supplements. What\u2019s worse, the powder and gummies often contain sugar to make them more palatable. As if it\u2019s not enough they are not helping your teeth, they are actually hurting them.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t Forget Your Checkups<\/p>\n
Even with the best diet in the world, you still need to come to our office in Monroe to get a professional cleaning and examination twice a year. Bayou Dental Group will make sure your the are healthy and strong, so that you will be, too.<\/p>\n