Diet ranks as one of the biggest factors when it comes to enjoying a lifetime of good health. Your Edmund, OK dentist recommends that all our patients at Santa Fe Dental follow the dietary guidelines set by the Food and Drug Administration to help lower their risk of long-term health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
However, recent research has found that the right foods can even contribute to a lower risk of tooth loss.
Researchers from a number of universities have banded together to examine reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This information showed the “inflammatory potential” of certain types of diet, which led the team to suspect that a reduction in tooth loss could be linked with diets loaded in anti-inflammatory foods.
Lowering the Risk of Tooth Loss
The study examined the diets of over 6,500 participants to determine their Dietary Inflammation Index (DII) to find out whether a relationship exists between diet and oral health, specifically, a risk of tooth loss. Researchers found that on average the participants in the highest DII quarter lost .84 more teeth when compared to participants with the lowest DII results. The results of this study were recently published in the Clinical Nutrition Journal.
Georgios Kotsakis, an instructor at the University of Washington School of Dentistry’s Department of Periodontics, further discussed the study results. Dr. Kotsakis explained that nutrients in certain types of food have been shown to elicit an inflamed tissue response linked with common inflammatory diseases like diabetes or periodontitis.
“Participants were considered to follow a pro-inflammatory diet if their diet was particularly rich in carbohydrates, trans fat, or had overall high caloric intake,” explained Dr. Kotsakis.
Kotsakis also detailed the importance of practicing a diet loaded with anti-inflammatory foods – such as vitamin D, fiber, and omega-3s – to prevent developing an inflammatory condition. Even adjusting to an anti-inflammatory diet later in life offers significant benefits for patients looking to avoid tooth during their golden years.
It’s vital that patients open a dialogue with their Edmund, OK dentist to learn more about the benefits an anti-inflammatory diet offers their long-term oral health. If you don’t know how to approach the subject with our team at Santa Fe Dental, feel free to simply bring up the topic during your next dental exam. We’re always happy to provide our patients with the best practices for protecting their oral and overall health.
“The addition of preventive oral health in the agenda for dietary public health interventions to prevent diabetes, obesity, and other inflammatory conditions has the potential to be a very cost-effective preventive strategy,” reports Dr. Kotsakis.
Combined, patients and dentists can develop a quality course of action to help ensure a healthier lifestyle. In most cases, health-based dietary guidelines encourage the same types of behaviors: Eat more veggies, drink more water, and limit the amount of sugar consumed. Following this type of diet can offer even more health benefits than just lowering the risk of tooth loss.
Diet and Our Oral Health
Obviously, the foods and drinks we consume can have a significant impact on our oral and overall health. By limiting the amount of sugar and carbohydrates we consume and loading up on fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking plenty of water, and brushing regularly, we can successfully lower our risk of not only dental disease but other systemic diseases that can significantly impair quality of life.
If you have any questions about the best practices for protecting your long-term oral and overall health, make sure to bring them up with your Edmund, OK dentist during your next appointment at Santa Fe Dental.
