Stomatology

Eat a low-sugar, protein-balanced diet to avoid losing your teeth.

According to the studies conducted by the World Health Organization, dental and gum diseases are defined as one of the biggest health problems due to their prevalence and recurrence rates. Because these diseases cause many health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, growth-development retardation, premature birth. Tooth and gum diseases cause growth failure in children aged 5-17, 8 times more low-weight births in pregnant women, and 7 times more heart disease in the 39-69 age group. It is of great benefit to follow a low-sugar, protein-balanced diet in preventing tooth loss.

Two enemies of teeth: Sugary foods and sodas

Sugary, sticky foods and acidic beverages are among the most damaging substances for teeth. Since these stick on the teeth, it is also difficult to clean. Especially considering the nutritional status of young people, it is not a realistic approach to cut them completely. It may be a more realistic suggestion to consume a limited amount instead of cutting it completely, and then to properly care for the mouth and teeth. Preferring foods such as apples and carrots between meals helps to clean the teeth and massage the gums. After consuming sugary foods or acidic beverages, teeth should be brushed, but if brushing is not possible, cleaning should be provided by drinking a glass of water and rinsing the mouth. Apart from this, consuming a piece of cheese after consuming sugary food can also help to eliminate the rotten effect of sugar. Proteins are at the forefront of foods that are considered tooth-friendly. Proteins, which form the basic building blocks of our body, are foods that must be consumed after the formation of teeth, as well as in the development of teeth.

Average brushing rate is 26 percent

While the rate of those who brush their teeth regularly in Turkey is 26 percent, there is 1 toothbrush per year for 4 people. 1 in 3 people in Turkey do not brush their teeth even once a day. It is important to acquire the habit of brushing teeth in childhood. Since food residues are mostly accumulated in the recesses of the chewing surfaces of the teeth and the interfaces where the teeth touch each other, toothbrushes should be chosen with a small head. It is important to clean the inner and outer surfaces of the teeth while brushing, and to use dental floss for the interfaces. Brushes with medium hard or soft bristles should be preferred, and these should be changed at regular intervals. It should also be noted that the bristles are not worn and protected in a way that does not carry bacteria. Someone else’s toothbrush should never be used.

Tooth loss Triggers Obesity and Weight Gain

Scientific studies have shown that gingivitis, tooth loss and other oral and dental diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, thinning of the carotid artery, paralysis and other types of heart diseases are a serious risk factor. Apart from all these, tooth loss in the mouth leads to easier weight gain by incomplete chewing. When adequate chewing cannot be done due to multiple tooth loss, the digestive process that should begin in the mouth is incomplete, and the food is sent to the stomach without being digested. 

This causes the stomach and other digestive organs to work harder. The heart and circulatory system is also working more than it should. At the end of all this, the cardiovascular system has to create additional energy stores to store nutrients. This causes obesity. For this reason, it is very important to treat tooth loss in a timely manner and to apply methods to replace missing teeth. Problems in oral and dental health also increase risks such as high blood pressure and osteoporosis. In addition, it should not be forgotten that smoking seriously damages the gum tissues. 

Nicotine damages the defense cells in the gingival tissue, and unfortunately, the damage it causes is noticed too late. Postponed scaling increases the formation of calculus and causes problems such as bad breath and bleeding in the gums. All these reasons reveal the importance of going to the dentist once a year.