It is ultimately our lifestyle choices that is a predictor of our oral health. The actions we take or responsibilities we avoid and our choices in terms of what we eat and drink dictate the health of teeth and gums.
When we choose unhealthy foods (however convenient they are at the time) such as fast food and sugar-heavy beverages (this includes fruit juices as well as soft and energy drinks) we are exposing our teeth and gums to excessive sugar and acids that bad oral bacteria feed off. More often than not these unwholesome food choices that often provide very little nutritional value are consumed far too frequently due to harassed grab-on-the-go lifestyles that leave little time for the preparation of nutritious meals and snacks.
Other lifestyle habits that health experts frown upon include the use of tobacco products and heavy alcohol consumption. Both excessive alcohol use and smoking are known to have ruinous consequences for oral health and overall physical health.
Avoidance of the Dentist Wimbledon for those all-important check-ups and when we don’t follow dentist-recommended instructions to clean teeth as we should. These also jeopardise oral health and bring about undesirable consequences: we experience dental pain, teeth fall out due to decay and gum health deteriorates.
In Favour Of Healthier Lifestyles
More and more public health authorities are coming together to sound the alarm of the dangers of too much sugar in the modern diet. The effects of excessive sugar consumption can no longer be denied with the latest official statistics pointing to one in every three adults suffering from tooth decay. The problem is just as bad in children with one in every eight children aged 3 having rotten teeth.
The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) supports the need for a collaborative effort to tackle public health concerns such as obesity and tooth decay – conditions that are linked to reducing quality of life.
Campaigns such as Change4Life initiated in England and Wales focus on ways to live more health-enriching lifestyles such as eating balanced, wholesome meals and being more physically active.
Other measures that work to curb the amount of sugar we put into our bodies include the government imposing a sugar tax on the soft drinks market, placing restrictions on how unhealthy foods are promoted and the call for clearer labelling on food and drink packaging. The latter is particularly helpful in making the consumer aware of exactly what it is they are consuming. This measure would of course be most effective if the consumer takes the time to learn how to read food product labels correctly, i.e. they know what to look out for. Oftentimes ingredients labelled contained hidden sugars so being food label savvy is a worthwhile endeavour.
It is critically important to get on top of tooth decay at the earliest opportunity which is why dental check-ups are one of the foremost golden rules for oral health. Fortunately, there are a number of visible red flags that a dental practitioner can identify to spot a potential problem. For anyone concerned about tooth decay or any other oral health issue, get in touch with Dental Rooms to arrange a consultation with a highly capable dental practitioner.