Some teens may ask, “what does a healthy diet have to do with healthy teeth”? As teenagers, you probably snack on hamburgers, pizza, tacos, energy drinks, and soda. Here’s a word of caution: the foods you prefer, when and how often you eat them can affect your general health and the health of your teeth and gums. Sugary soda, energy drinks or non-nutritious snacks, put you at risk for tooth decay. Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease, and it is completely preventable through healthy eating and regular daily oral care.

Foods that contain sugars of any kind contribute to tooth decay. The usual culprits include soft drinks, candy, cookies and pastries, which have little, if any nutritional value. Researchers believe that tooth decay and gum disease progress faster and is potentially more severe in people with poor nutrition.

To learn what foods are best for you, visit the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The site contains dietary recommendations for children, teens, and adults based on their levels of physical activity.

What Can I Snack on to Have Healthy Teeth?

Growing teenagers are almost always hungry. It’s perfectly normal to eat between meals when you’re outgrowing your shoes every six months. Try to limit the number of snacks you eat and if you do snack, choose something that is healthy, such as fruit or vegetables or a piece of cheese. After eating an in between meal snack, it’s a good practice to rinse your mouth with water. Swishing with water will help dilute or wash away any acid and debris from your mouth until you brush your teeth. To learn more about healthy snacks, follow this link.

In general, follow these guidelines for good dental health when choosing your meals and snacks:

• Drink water and milk; they are both good for your teeth. Tap water is preferred since it has been treated with fluoride and will strengthen your tooth enamel. Carbonated and acidic drinks cause dental erosion and add empty calories to your diet.
• Eat foods from the five major food groups, including: Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins such as beef, skinless poultry and fish; dry beans, and low-fat dairy products such as cheese and plain yogurt.

Other snacks to consider:

• Plain popcorn
• Nuts
• Breadsticks or plain bagels
• Rice cakes
• Unsweetened cereal

Does Smoking, Alcohol or Taking Drugs Have an Effect on My Oral Health?

Although this is not food related, it is worth talking about. Teenagers usually start making lifestyle choices during the years between fourteen and eighteen. Some of those choices can affect your dental health for a lifetime and substances that are addictive usually lead to other problems down the road. Following are some cautions in relation to your oral health:

• Alcohol can cause mouth cancer and increase the risk of tooth decay and erosion. Some alcoholic drinks also have a lot of sugar in them, and may contain acids, which causes decay or dental erosion if you drink them often and in large amounts.
• Smoking cigarettes or cannabis can cause tooth staining, gum disease, tooth loss and mouth cancer, not to mention these are some of the main causes of bad breath.
• Drugs can cause a dry mouth which increases the risk of erosion, decay, gum disease and bad breath. Many drugs also cause a craving for sweets and carbonated drinks, which causes tooth erosion and cavities.

Have a Dental Check-up Every Six Months

It’s important to visit your dentist on a regular basis. Dr. Shane Porter of Premier Dentistry of Eagle is a skilled dentist and with regular dental care, he can help you prevent oral problems and catch those that do occur while they are in the early stages and easy to treat. You will not always be a young teenager, and the way you take care of your dental health now will impact you for years to come.

A routine exam involves several elements. Click on Dr. Porter’s website to learn what to expect at a dental check-up.  

The standards for oral health care apply to people of all ages, including teenagers, as follows:

• Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time. Use a soft bristle brush and ADA approved fluoride toothpaste.
• Floss at least once a day to help remove plaque and food from between your teeth.
• Use antibacterial mouthwash to freshen your breath and kill bacteria.
• If you drink carbonated beverages, use a straw. This reduces the acid attacks on your teeth by pushing the drink to the back of your mouth.
• Rinse your mouth with water after eating or drinking anything acidic and wait for at least an hour before you brush your teeth.
• Chew sugar-free gum after eating to help make more saliva and neutralize the acids which form in your mouth after eating.

As a General and Family dentist, Dr. Porter has many years of dental experience and is skilled and proficient in many aspects of dentistry. As a teenager you may have some concerns about your teeth. Are you missing a tooth? Are your teeth discolored or crooked? Ask Dr. Porter; he prides himself in being a compassionate and caring dentist, so call today for an appointment at 208-546-0655.

Our office is conveniently located at 467 S. Rivershore Lane in Eagle, Idaho, and we also serve the surrounding areas such as Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Star and Garden Valley. You only get one set of natural teeth, so take the time to care for them during this teenage phase of your life and enjoy good oral health for a lifetime!