You are what you eat, as the saying goes! A healthy diet and good nutrition is essential to your general health. We all know this and most of us try to make healthy food choices most of the time. But what happens when you get older, and maybe you lose some of your teeth? Maybe you even end up wearing dentures. The chewing force you can exert with dentures is only a fraction of the force you achieve with your own teeth. So inevitably this will affect your food choices. You start to avoid nuts, apples and other raw fruit or lightly cooked vegetables. These are the foods that retain most of their micronutrients. Well-cooked fruit and vegetables are easier to chew and swallow but loose much of their nutritional value. Research has shown poor dentition is associated with significantly lower intake of dietary fibre, protein, calcium, non-heme iron, niacin (B3), riboflavin (B2), vitamin E and vitamin C. This combination of deficiences is know to increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Another important issue as you get older is the risk of detiorating cognitive function. Dementia may be linked to dental health is three ways. Firstly as we have just explored, losing teeth will lead to poorer nutrition, and a healthy diet is important for brain health. Secondly the bacteria and inflammatory factors involved in gum disease that enter the bloodstream may have an effect on the brain. Thirdly it may be that the increased blood flow to the brain during chewing helps to keep the brain healthy. In fact Researchers at the Bayor College of Medicine found that students who chewed gum regularly got better scores on maths tests than those who did not. Conversely a team of Swedish researchers found people who had a problem chewing hard foods had an increased risk of dementia.
However, if you are unfortunate enough to lose teeth help is at hand. Dental implants provide a fantastic solution, and allow you to chew, crunch and gnash your way through any foods you would eat with your own teeth.
But even better is to keep your teeth strong and healthy from the start. So dig out that floss from the back of the cupboard and remember to come and see the dentist and hygienist every 6 months.
Happy smiling everyone!
Another important issue as you get older is the risk of detiorating cognitive function. Dementia may be linked to dental health is three ways. Firstly as we have just explored, losing teeth will lead to poorer nutrition, and a healthy diet is important for brain health. Secondly the bacteria and inflammatory factors involved in gum disease that enter the bloodstream may have an effect on the brain. Thirdly it may be that the increased blood flow to the brain during chewing helps to keep the brain healthy. In fact Researchers at the Bayor College of Medicine found that students who chewed gum regularly got better scores on maths tests than those who did not. Conversely a team of Swedish researchers found people who had a problem chewing hard foods had an increased risk of dementia.
However, if you are unfortunate enough to lose teeth help is at hand. Dental implants provide a fantastic solution, and allow you to chew, crunch and gnash your way through any foods you would eat with your own teeth.
But even better is to keep your teeth strong and healthy from the start. So dig out that floss from the back of the cupboard and remember to come and see the dentist and hygienist every 6 months.
Happy smiling everyone!
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