At the end of every year, many people resolve to take better care of their bodies over the next 365 days. For some people, that means working out more often. For others, it means eating better. That’s where fad diets come in. To many people, a diet with set instructions on what you should and shouldn’t eat cuts out the need to figure out what to fill your plate with. Diet trends may seem appealing at first glance, but they can do a lot of harm to your pearly whites if you aren’t careful. Read on to learn about three popular diet trends that are worse for your smile than you might think.
Trend #1: Juice Cleanses
Fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that are good for your body. For this reason, many people are led to believe that going on a juice cleanse will help them get all the nutrients they need. Unfortunately, since fruit is full of natural sugar, juice cleanses raise your chances of developing cavities. Drinking only juice also keeps your body from taking in the nutrients it needs to keep your teeth healthy.
Trend #2: Raw Food Diets
When someone goes on a raw food diet, that means that they’re eating only or mostly uncooked and unprocessed foods in hopes of this providing them with the nutrients they need without chemicals or preservatives. Unfortunately, many of the foods that are popular on this diet can harm your smile. As previously stated, fruit is full of sugar and can raise your chances of decay. Other foods that are popular on this diet like seeds can get caught in your gums and between your teeth, which allows cavity-causing bacteria to feed off them for long periods.
Trend #3: Small Meals
According to celebrities and dieticians, eating several small meals per day will help you maintain a small waist. Unfortunately, eating this often can be bad for your smile. When we eat, the level of acid in our mouths rises. This means that eating extra meals throughout the day exposes your teeth to a constant acid attack, which weakens the enamel and makes your pearly whites more susceptible to decay.
What Should You Eat Instead?
Now that you know what foods should be avoided, what should you eat instead? Some dentist-approved foods that you should work into your diet include:
- Fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber, such as berries, apples, carrots, pears, and broccoli
- Dairy products that are low in fat or fat-free like cheese, milk, and plain yogurt
- Fish that are high in calcium and vitamin D like salmon
- Lean meats like turkey, chicken, pork, and beef
If you’re interested in starting a new diet, speak with your dentist to make sure you don’t pick one that’s going to harm your pearly whites. By doing this, you’ll be able to achieve better overall health while making sure your smile stays bright and beautiful!
About the Practice
Whether you’re a new patient or an existing one, Dr. Xiang Dorothy Dunker, Dr. Eric Buck, and their talented Mount Vernon team at Cross Creek Dental Care are here to help you achieve the smile of your dreams. They can recommend foods that are good for your teeth as well as ones that should be avoided to keep your oral health in good shape. Are you ready to make an appointment with Cross Creek Dental Care or do you want more information on how to keep your smile healthy? Call their office at (740) 392-6156 or visit their website to get started today.