Don't Let Your Nutritional Habits Prevent Your Tooth Development!
The food we consume affects our body. It's a fact that certain foods make us tired, cause acne or disrupt our microbiota. Have we ever thought about how our mouth and teeth are affected by malnutrition?
The oral region and teeth are directly affected by what we eat, and even shaped by our eating habits. Some of the consequences of this situation are that the wisdom tooth does not form at all in some people today or that it is usually indicated for extraction. How Does? With the discovery of fire, people increasingly moved away from raw foods. Our chewing habits changed as we fed softer foods. Thus, the arch of the jaw narrowed and the need for the most posterior molars was almost no longer required.
Dr. Weston Price was the first dentist to research and evaluate the relationship between dental health and diet and lifestyle in the early 1900s. In those years, he traveled the world by traveling 14 different countries from Alaska to Australia. He observed the effects of cultures and lifestyles of people from different geographies on body development, oral health and health in general.
Dr. One of Price's most important inferences is that formational asymmetries in the face and jaw bones of new generations increase rapidly with the increase in consumption of sugar, artificial foods and processed foods. He observed that while even a senior generation had much more symmetrical and healthy facial features, new generations developed much more advanced asymmetries and functional disorders. The reason behind this is that in addition to the decrease in the nutritional value of the foods, the foods consumed are much softer in texture. Due to these foods that reduce the function of the tooth, the muscle and bone tissue that is not sufficiently stimulated cannot develop itself.
The jawbones are the bone group that changes the most after birth. The habits we acquire on these tissues, which are responsible for the formation of new teeth, play a major role. The most important reasons for the increasing need for orthodontic treatment of our age are our diet and daily functional habits. Functional dentist Dr. Steven Linn, Dental Diet In his book, Dr. Inspired by Price, she talks about how we should be fed for ideal tooth development. According to the book, the most important vitamins and minerals in the development of oral tissues are:
Calcium
It is possible to get calcium, which helps to strengthen the structure of bones and dental tissues, from foods such as milk and dairy products, salmon, sesame, broccoli.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a role in the absorption of calcium by the tissues. It also increases the mineral density in bone and tooth tissue. In other words, vitamin D is essential to get the most out of calcium.
vitamin K
Vitamin K, in conjunction with vitamin D, ensures that the effect of calcium on metabolism works perfectly. Green leafy vegetables are especially rich in vitamin K.
Potassium
An important factor in calcium metabolism is potassium. Banana is one of the foods richest in potassium.
C vitamin
It is an important component both in strengthening the soft tissues in the mouth and in the body's production of collagen. Citrus fruits can be a good choice.
So how can we include these vitamins and minerals in our diet? In the morning, we can have a granola with yogurt or vegan, which you garnish with bananas and strawberries. At noon or in the evening, a salad with lots of greens and sprinkled with sesame seeds is a good alternative, as it increases our chewing activity with its texture and is high in calcium.
The views expressed in this article are written to shed light on alternative studies and to encourage conversation about these studies. Even if the articles contain the advice of physicians to some extent, they are for informational purposes only. This text; cannot replace professional medical advice, diagnosis and treatment.
More for the curious:
Lin, Steven. The Dental Diet: The Surprising Link between Your Teeth, Real Food, and Life-Changing Natural Health, 2018.
About the author:
Ceren Tosun – Founder of Spicy Health
Ceren Tosun, a dentist, yoga teacher, aromatherapist, health and wellness expert, has holistically educated herself on wellness and health while studying dentistry. After practicing dentistry in Istanbul, she moved to New York where she discovered different traditions of yoga and meditation, healing and wellness. Tosun, who also studies Herbal Medicine and Aromatherapy; He is certified in areas such as Ayurveda, functional medicine, aromatherapy, mindfulness, good living and NLP. Currently living in London, Tosun is also the founder of Spicy Health, where he consults on health and wellness.
