Experts: Daily food intake may pose serious oral health problems

You heard how your daily food intake may affect your health. From obesity to various chronic diseases, your diet may take a toll at your overall wellness—and also your oral health.

Maintaining a balanced diet is essential to healthy living, but indulging in foods rich in sugar will make you a candidate for tooth decay and gum disease.

According to Carmie de Leon, vice president for sales and marketing of Healthway Medical, sweet-toothed Filipinos should be aware that they not only increase their chances of acquiring type 1 or type 2 diabetes whenever they reach for a rich, chocolatey dessert or carbonated drinks.

“What they don’t realize is that, when they expose their teeth to too much sugary foods from sugar-filled sodas, sweetened fruit drinks, or high-in-sugar desserts, they are giving permission to cavities to attack their teeth,” de Leon said.

She added, “By eating foods rich in sugar content, they tend to invite more cavities, which cause the formation of plaque and eventually, tooth decay. But sugary foods are not the only culprit for teeth erosion. Even those rich in starchmay contribute to tooth decay. In some instances, it may also cause periodontitis.”

Periodontitis, a severe gum disease, destroys the soft tissue and bone that serves as the backbone of your teeth. When left untreated, this serious infection could cause the gums to loosen the hold of the teeth, causing them to fall out.

“People who are most prone to periodontitis are those who have been diagnosed with diabetes since diabetes decreases the ability to resist infection and slows the healing process,” de Leon said. “If a person has this serious oral health condition, their blood sugar levels tend to rise, making diabetes more difficult to manage.”

Since food that contain sugars of any kind affects not only the oral health but the overall wellness of a person, Healthway Medical—the most trusted and preferred mall-based clinic in the Philippines—highlights the importance of proper nutrition to ensure that physical and emotional health are always in its best condition.

“You may be able to prevent two of the most common oral health conditions (tooth decay and periodontal disease) simply by improving your diet,” de Leon said. “But the challenging part comes in the choosing process, the moment when you’re locked up choosing which food groups are best for you,” de Leon said.

The Nutrition month comes with a full plate of health and wellness recommendations, but de Leon said that the first big step will start from the kitchen. “If you want to achieve optimum wellness from head to toe, you’ll need to check your fridge and swap your junk with foods that are actually good for you.”

De Leon said, “As for your oral health, you’ll need to practice good oral hygiene every day.”

Brushing alone won’t keep bacteria at bay. To give your mouth the holistic dental care, you need to floss daily, maintain a balanced diet, replace your toothbrush every three to four months or sooner if bristles are already frayed, and consult your dentist regularly.

To help you address your dental health concerns, Healthway Medical ensures that every Filipino has control over his or her dental health by offering a wide-array of dental services.

“To win a confident smile, you’ll need to give regular attention to your mouth,” de Leon said. “It’s easy to smile painlessly throughout the day if you have the right attitude towards improving your overall wellness. For an optimum health security, you need to make sleeping, eating right, exercising, and de-stressing (S.E.E.D.) as part of your daily routine.”

De Leon concluded, “Every person needs a confidence-boosting teeth. In order to achieve this, you’ll need to give your teeth the right care it needs through good nutrition and unparalleled quality dental service.”

If you want to achieve a great-looking set of teeth, visit any Healthway Medical clinics at the Alabang Town Center, EdsaShangri-la, Market! Market!, Festival Mall, Healthway Manila, SM The Block and Greenbelt 5.

For more details, please contact (02) 751-4929 or visit www.healthway.com.ph.