Dietary Considerations and Decay
By cutting back on simple carbohydrates, the rate of dental caries can be reduced. Simple sugars are found in many foods and have many names. Some of these are table sugar, corn syrup, honey, molasses and dextrose. By reading labels on food products, you can limit foods high in simple sugars and thus reduce the chance of dental caries. Bacteria need carbohydrates for food. Sucrose (table sugar) is the carbohydrate bacteria prefer. However, other simple carbohydrates, such as fructose, lactose and glucose, are easy to ferment and also support bacteria growth.
Bacteria also can ferment complex carbohydrates (starches), but the process takes longer. However, many complex carbohydrates are sticky and become lodged between teeth and gums. This allows the bacteria time to ferment the carbohydrate. Meats and foods high in fiber, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, help clean the teeth of food particles and sugars during the chewing process. These foods promote saliva flow, which helps rinse the teeth of food particles. Saliva also neutralizes the acid.
Although fresh fruits and vegetables do contain carbohydrates that can be fermented by bacteria, the fiber content counteracts the effect and helps clean the teeth, therefore protecting against dental caries. When we eat, we provide food for mouth bacteria. Eating three meals a day is important for adequate energy and nutrient intake, but snacking between meals presents special dental health problems.
Choose snacks that do not harm teeth. Such snacks also tend to be more nutritious. Good snacks include cheese, yogurt, meats, plain nuts (not recommended for children younger than school age), peanut butter, fresh fruits and vegetables, unsweetened breads and cereals. The snacks most people enjoy tend to be high in simple sugars (examples might be dried fruits such as raisins, sweet rolls, candy bars, pop or caramel corn). Snacking does not need to be completely omitted. In many situations, snacking is important for good physical health. This is especially true for young and growing children who need the calories and nutrients from snacks for proper growth.