The right amount of food, we know, is important to good health. 

We should also know that the type and amount of food that we consume is also important to good oral health.

Too little or too much of food ultimately affects our well-being.

To be exact about it, malnutrition – too little or too much food – can impact on our oral health as well.

The right balance of vitamins, minerals, fiber, water, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and micronutrients is thus essential.

Less or more of micronutrients may cause tooth decay, dental erosion, gum diseases, oral mucosa diseases, oral cancer and other infections.

We know about tooth decay and how dietary sugars produce acids in the dental plaque. Tooth decay is caused by the over-consumption of sweet food and sugared drinks. The sugar encourages the growth of bacteria which in turn causes tooth decay.

Little is known is dental erosion which is caused by abrasion or exposure to acids. Dental erosion occurs when the enamel and then the dentin on teeth are eroded.

Citric acid, phosphoric acid, ascorbic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid and carbonic acid – from soft drinks, vinegar, dry wine and even fruits and fruit juices – may cause this erosion.

Don’t be alarmed. Regular consumption of these drinks, juices and vinegar is harmless. It’s too much consumption when contact between drinks and tooth enamel is prolonged.

Gum disease, when untreated, may lead to tooth loss. Tooth loss, in turn, reduces the amount of food consumed and ultimately affects diet and nutrition.

Malnutrition puts an individual at a higher risk of gum disease. This is because deficiencies in   vitamins A, C, and E, folic acid and calcium, vitamin B, iron and folate can increase the likelihood of gum disease developing.

Vitamin B complex deficiency, for example, can reduce resistance to bacterial infections. Vitamin A and Vitamin C are also associated with gum disease.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), diet and nutrition are significant influencers of oral health, and can affect the development and progression of oral diseases and conditions such as tooth decay, gum disease and others.

“While nutrition can be defined as the micro- (vitamins and minerals) and macro- (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) nutrients as they relate to the body’s dietary needs, diet refers to the specific foods consumed.”

The relationship that diet and nutrition has cuts both ways as a compromised  oral cavity can also influence an individual’s functional ability to eat, the ADA says in a brief on Nutrition and Oral Health.

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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the University of the East College of Dentistry, former Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, past president and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy, and honorary fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. Honorary Life Member of Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515./WDJ