Are you looking for a little extra incentive to boost your oral health? Well, by making healthy choices, you can enjoy a beautiful smile and lose a few pants sizes in the process! Here are just a few ways you can make a total health transformation.
1. Eat healthy, well-balanced, nutritional meals.
Improving your diet is a great way to boost your energy, trim a few pounds, and maintain your oral health. Fruits and vegetables, for example, can actually boost your saliva production—allowing your body to fight off dry mouth and tooth decay. Lean proteins like skinless poultry, fish, eggs, beans, peas, and legumes are said to be high in phosphorus, which is also good for your oral health. Low-fat and fat-free dairy products are high in calcium, which can strengthen your teeth and gums. All in all, maintaining a healthy diet is great for the whole body!
2. When you’re thirsty, choose water over sodas.
According to recent findings, 1 in 4 Americans add 200 calories a day just by drinking sugary beverages like soda. By cutting soda, you can really cut into your caloric intake. Passing on sodas can also help to protect your dental enamel, as the sugar in sodas can lead to tooth decay. You should be drinking a lot of water instead. Not only is this critical for your overall health, but it helps to fight dry mouth as well. Plus, the fluoride in water strengthens your teeth and makes you less susceptible to tooth decay down the road.
3. Skip the sugary desserts.
By skipping your desserts, you not only save yourself the calories but also the potential for cavities. When you eat desserts, the plaque that naturally grows on your teeth has a feast on the sugars in your food. In turn, it releases acids on your dental enamel that can lead to cavities. To keep yourself away from these sugary sweets, try chewing on sugar-free gum instead. If it contains the ingredient called xylitol, the chewing gum also provides the added benefit of fortifying your dental enamel!
4. Limit your snacking.
If you have a tendency to snack on unhealthy, starchy foods like chips or crackers, you could be putting both your diet and your oral health at risk. Not only does snacking tend to increase your caloric intake quicker than you may realize, but it also provides more opportunities for the plaque to wreak havoc on your teeth and gums. Therefore, be sure to limit your snacking and, if you are hungry, make sure the snack is nutritious!
5. Skip the sports drinks—even during your workout!
Exercising is a critical part of any weight loss plan. However, what you may not realize is that drinking sports drinks can actually impede your progress. Sports drinks are full of sugar, which not only adds to your caloric intake but also increases your risk of cavities. Therefore, the best thing for you to drink during your workouts is water!
Want to check in on your oral health? We can help! Call Caputo Dental in Naperville today to schedule your next visit.