Dental Charity Urges Public To Watch What They Eat After Survey Flags Up Poor Dietary Habits
Britain’s leading dental charity, the British Dental Health Foundation, has urged people to watch what they eat after a survey revealed that most people don’t give their teeth a thought when doing their weekly shop.
The survey found that almost three quarters of participants did not give their oral health any thought when planning meals and doing their shopping, while a third were unaware of the link between diet and oral health.
In response to the findings, the charity’s chief executive, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, stressed the importance of better education. Diet has a major impact on oral health, but many are unaware of this and only think about their overall health and body weight when selecting foods at supermarkets or restaurants. Sugary and acidic foods are the worst offenders when it comes to oral health problems, as they damage and wear down the protective tooth enamel.
Dr Carter highlighted the importance of a good diet, explaining that every time you eat, your teeth come under attack for around one hour from dangerous acids, which are produced by oral bacteria. Snacking throughout the day means that the teeth are under constant attack and the enamel does not have chance to recover. Grazing and making unhealthy food choices also affects general health and diet has a major bearing on body weight, which is a significant problem in the UK, with more than half the population classed as overweight or obese.
Join this Discussion