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Background
on
Oral
Health
March
2002
What
is
the
relationship
between
your
mouth
and
good
health?
As
the
entry
point
for
food,
the
mouth's
ability
to
chew
and
thus
aid
in
the
digestion
of
nutrients
is
an
extremely
important
factor.
The
links
between
oral
health
and
nutrition
are
many.
Just
as
oral
diseases
can
affect
diet
and
nutrition,
diet
and
nutrition
in
turn
may
affect
the
development
and
progression
of
diseases
of
the
oral
cavity.
The
Road
to
Good
Health
Begins
in
Your
Mouth
The
mouth
is
a
window
that
allows
the
skilled
dental
practitioner
to
assess
your
overall
health.
Regular
dental
examinations
make
it
possible
to
screen
for
early
warnings
of
eating
disorders
and
precancerous
conditions.
Additionally,
by
administering
a
special
X
ray
of
the
carotid
artery,
the
dentist
can
screen
in
advance
for
stroke
indicators.
Taking
care
of
your
mouth
is
an
important
step
on
the
road
to
good
health.
Eating
habits,
regular
brushing,
flossing,
fluoride
and
regular
checkups
are
all
part
of
maintaining
good
health.
Caries
Prevention
Emphasis
Shifts
For
many
years,
the
primary
focus
of
oral
health
care
was
the
prevention
of
cavities
(dental
caries)
in
children,
with
an
emphasis
on
dietary
influences
on
caries
formation.
In
today's
world,
however,
prevention
focuses
on
fluoride,
the
use
of
sealants,
frequency
of
eating
and
good
oral
hygiene.
With
evolving
science,
specific
foods
no
longer
are
being
singled
out
as
major
risk
factors
for
caries.
Nevertheless,
eating
patterns
and
food
choices
can
be
important
factors
in
tooth
decay.
Everything
eaten
passes
through
the
mouth
where
carbohydrates
can
be
used
by
the
bacteria
in
plaque
to
produce
acids
capable
of
damaging
tooth
enamel.
Plaque
is
an
almost
invisible
deposit
of
bacteria
and
their
byproducts
that
constantly
forms
on
everyone's
teeth.
Plaque
holds
the
acids
on
the
teeth.
After
many
such
attacks,
the
tooth
enamel
may
break
down,
forming
a
cavity.
Factors
involved
in
plaque
build-up
or
acid
production
include:
- Frequency
of
eating.
Each
time
carbohydrate-containing
foods
are
consumed,
acids
are
released
to
work
on
teeth
for
about
20
to
40
minutes.
The
greater
the
frequency
of
eating,
the
more
opportunity
for
acid
production.
- Food
characteristics.
Some
foods
tend
to
cling
or
stick
to
the
teeth.
While
one
might
not
think
of
them
as
sticky,
cooked
starches
such
as
chips
and
crackers
rank
higher
on
the
list
of
sticky
foods
than
candy
bars
and
toffee.
A
food's
characteristics
affect
the
time
that
it
remains
in
the
mouth.
Foods
that
are
slow
to
dissolve,
such
as
cookies
and
granola
bars,
are
in
longer
contact
with
the
teeth,
providing
more
time
for
the
acids
to
damage
enamel
as
opposed
to
foods
that
dissolve
quickly
such
as
caramels
and
jelly
beans.
- Whether
or
not
the
food
is
eaten
as
part
of
a
meal.
Saliva
production
is
increased
during
a
meal
to
help
neutralize
acid
production
and
clear
food
from
the
mouth.
- Starches
can
cause
caries,
too.
Starches
in
general-from
bread
to
crackers
to
sugars
from
fruit,
milk,
honey,
molasses,
corn
sweeteners
and
refined
sugar-can
all
produce
the
acids
that
damage
teeth.
Dental
Caries-A
Disease
in
Decline
Far
and
away
the
most
important
factor
in
reducing
caries
during
the
last
two
decades
has
been
the
widespread
introduction
of
fluoride
into
water
supplies
as
well
as
fluoridation
of
toothpaste.
Precisely
how
fluoride
works
to
treat
and,
in
effect,
prevent
formation
of
dental
cavities
is
still
being
studied;
but
the
evidence
of
effectiveness
is
overwhelming.
Widespread
use
of
fluoride
is
credited
with
a
dramatic
decline
in
dental
caries
during
the
last
20
years
in
the
United
States,
according
to
a
survey
by
the
National
Institute
of
Dental
Research
(NIDR).
The
number
of
cavity-free
children
in
the
US
doubled
during
this
period
with
more
than
six
out
of
ten
having
no
cavities
in
their
primary
teeth.
An
increase
in
the
number
of
people
who
regularly
visit
their
dentist
and
overall
improved
diet
are
also
cited
as
factors
in
the
improvement
reported
by
the
NIDR.
What
can
consumers
do
to
protect
and
improve
oral
health?
- Incorporate
balance,
variety
and
moderation
in
food
choices-important
guidelines
for
oral
health
as
well
as
for
good
nutrition.
Clean
teeth
with
fluoride
toothpaste
at
least
twice
a
day.
- Floss
regularly,
or
use
an
interdental
brush
(particularly
useful
for
braces,
bridges
or
hard-to-reach
places).
- Visit
the
dentist
regularly.
- Limit
eating
occasions
to
regular
meals
and
no
more
than
two
to
three
snacking
occasions
daily.
Reprinted
from
the
International
Food
Information
Council
Foundation,
March
2002
 Position
of
the
American
Dietetic
Association:Oral
health
and
nutrition
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