“There has never been a philosopher who could patiently endure a toothache.” This quote, from the fifth act of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”, underlines how annoying tooth decay can be even for the person best suited to endure pain. Consequently, taking care of your teeth becomes a prerogative of each of us and, if it were possible to do it also through nutrition, why shouldn’t it? Dr. Massimiliano Ciarmatori, nutritional biologist at the Odontoservice Dental Clinic in Cossato, answers this issue.
“The link between nutrition and dental health is very close – reveals Dr. Ciarmatori – eating incorrectly can in fact generate cavities and expose to gum diseases of varying severity, which can even lead to tooth loss (as in the case of pyorrhea) . In fact, the mouth can be assimilated to a delicate ecosystem which, in order to maintain its perfect balance, needs careful and continuous care. This type of attention, in addition to safeguarding one’s personal hygiene, for example by brushing one’s teeth as soon as you have finished eating, also go hand in hand with a scrupulous selection of food and drinks. In fact, we eat an average of four times a day without knowing that every meal, however small, exposes the teeth to repeated threats ”.
“The most damaging occasion – Ciarmatori explains – is the moment of the aperitif, a ritual much loved by many Italians, especially among young people. Precisely this target, which is actually the one that most cares about aesthetics, finds itself paying little attention to its oral hygiene “.
“Yet at the table it would take just a few cares to avoid the risk – explains the nutritionist – it is proven that a correct and balanced diet allows for better dental health. Deficiencies in magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, selenium, vitamins C and E can in fact cause gingivitis and periodontal diseases, as well as inducing a drop in immune defenses in a period in which we all need to take advantage of all possible opportunities to stay healthy . Some nutritional deficiencies can affect not only the well-being of the organism, but also that of the mouth “.
“Foods or drinks that are both acidic and sweet, such as Coca Cola and other types of soda – concludes Massimiliano Ciarmatori – represent a real threat to the health of our teeth. It is no coincidence that in industrialized countries the high consumption of refined foods, sweets and carbonated drinks is accompanied by a high incidence of caries ”.
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