OF the more than 125 medical schools in the U.S.A., only 32 have a required course in nutrition for graduating physicians. This dismal situation is even worse in dental education programmes. There is a very strong perception that diet and nutrition are unrelated to the teeth – but this could not be further from the truth. You brush, you floss, you see your dentist, but do you eat with your oral health in mind?

Many people now realise that they must be responsible for figuring out for themselves just what is proper nutrition. But, these days there are so many conflicting viewpoints that it is hard to decide what constitutes healthy eating. Every10 years it seems the so-called experts flip-flop their position and tell us to eat exactly what they told us not to eat before. First, butter is bad and margarine is good; then butter is good and margarine is bad. What do you do?

In Alaska, the Amazon, Australia, Europe, the South Pacific and many other areas, it is consistently found that those people who remained on their native diets experienced almost no tooth decay or periodontal disease, and that degenerative disease, in general, were virtually non-existent. However, when the so-called “white man’s “civilised diet, including refined sugar and flour, was introduced, tooth decay and other degenerative diseases began appearing with sudden and alarming frequency thus revealing the most dramatic proof of the link between diet and health.

Studies note that the new diet brought about remarkable changes in physiognomy. Bodies actually became narrower and taller. The dental arches became narrower, causing tooth crowding. Women’s pelves also became narrower, making childbirth more difficult.
One photo essay of two brothers indisputably illustrated these changes.

The first brother stayed on the family farm and continued to consume the traditional native diet. The second brother had moved to the city and switched to a typical modern diet. The brother on the farm had no tooth decay whatsoever, while the city brother had now developed rampant decay. What is truly remarkable, though, is that when the city brother moved back to the farm and resumed his native eating habits, all decay ceased.

Based on this study, following a genetically appropriate diet would lead to optimal health. This does not make for highly practical advice, however, as native genetic lines are for the most part completely blurred. Most of us do not live in isolated tribal communities, marrying into our own genetic pool. How then do we apply these insights to our modern dietary needs?

A handful of potato chips or even a whole wheat tennis roll can be just as damaging to your teeth as a chocolate chip cookie. All carbohydrates break down into simple sugars, which are ultimately converted by bacteria in the mouth into plaque, a sticky residue that is the primary cause of gum disease and cavities.

Black and green teas contain polyphenols, antioxidant plant compounds that prevent plaque from sticking to your teeth and help reduce your chances of developing tooth decay and gum disease. Tea also has the potential for reducing bad breath because it inhibits the growth of the bacteria that cause the odour.

Most soft drinks, sports drinks, and juices contain either citric or phosphoric acid. In fact, many Americans use Coca Cola or Pepsi Cola to clean their toilet bowls claiming that these are more effective or is just as effective as the relatively expensive toilet cleaning solutions sold in supermarkets. So these beverages can erode dental enamel- even if they are diet or sugar-free versions. Sipping acidic drinks through a straw positioned toward the back of your mouth limits their contact with your teeth and helps preserve the enamel.

Vitamin C is the cement that holds all your cells together, so just as it is vital for your skin, it is important for the health of your gum tissue. The average person needs at least 60 milligrams a day, which is contained in a regular-sized orange or six ounces of orange juice.

Finally, about 99 percent of the calcium in your body is in your bones and teeth. Dietary calcium- available in foods like cheese, milk and yogurt- strengthens the alveolar bone in the jaw, which helps hold your teeth in place.