Maria Papavergos examines the effect your diet has on your oral health and wellness.
With talk of strategies to manage stress and the importance of nurturing our own health, let us draw our attention to the importance of lifestyle and nutrition. Putting the mouth back into the body and starting to understand that gut health and immunity begins in the mouth is key to sharpening the focus on the impact of oral health on overall health.
Let’s start with nutrition
The expression “you are what you eat” rings true in terms of the microbes you cultivate. Our oral microbiome is affected by the food we put into it, and those microbes impact our mouths and beyond.
There is evidence that certain periodontal pathogens can enter the gut and contribute to the development of inflammatory bowel disease. They have also been shown to cross the placenta during pregnancy and increase the risks of preterm birth, preeclampsia, and delivery of low birthweight infants. The bidirectional link between periodontal status and chronic inflammatory disease is well established.
Oral health is often overlooked in terms of diet, but if we become more mindful towards our mouths, systemic benefits result. So, what can we eat to nurture our oral microbiome? We need to choose foods that support the beneficial species of bacteria in our mouths and reduce intake of those that lead to the proliferation of pathogenic species. Dietary patterns can also disrupt the oral microbiome and negatively impact our gut microbes.
Balanced eating
Regular spikes in sugar intake can drive down the number of beneficial species in our mouths and reduce bacterial diversity in our gut microbiome, leading to an increased risk of dental disease and poor gut health. Fluctuating blood sugar levels can not only lead to mood fluctuations but also up-regulate the body’s inflammatory response, with damaging effects on our cardiovascular health, periodontal health, increase the risks of diabetes and poor sleep. Understanding and being able to identify ‘free’ sugars, hidden in processed fruit, such as smoothies and dried fruit, and disguised as natural sugars, such as honey or maple syrup, is key to taking a mindful approach to sugar.
Foods that support the beneficial bacteria in our mouths and gut should be plentiful. We should aspire to a diet high in plant diversity; rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals to support oral, gut and immune health. When it comes to nutrition, a balanced approach and a happy relationship with food will reap rewards for our mouths. An inclusive diet, incorporating different whole grains as well as beans and legumes, can reduce oxidative stress on our bodies and reduce the risk of chronic inflammation. A large variety of fruit and vegetables means we are more likely to complete a full micronutrient profile to fulfil our dietary needs. There is no single phytonutrient that will provide a quick fix, but by eating plenty of fresh, colourful plants, we can help mitigate nutrient deficiencies, including vitamins A, C and D, which are essential for the prevention of oral disease. Over 50 per cent of mouth cancers are associated with a diet low in fruit and vegetables, as well as being a dietary risk factor for gum disease.
By incorporating prebiotic foods, high-fibre foods that support beneficial gut microbes, into our diet, we can also help maintain the balance of the oral microbiome. Examples include whole grains, oats, greens and onions. By increasing our intake of these types of foods and limiting highly processed foods, we can positively impact our inflammatory status, extending to our periodontal status. Typically foods high in fiber also require chewing, which stimulates saliva flow, protecting our mouths from dental disease and providing immune support.
Beneficial species of bacteria in our mouths that support our oral health include nitrate-reducing bacteria. These bacteria convert dietary nitrate (found in beetroot and green leafy vegetables) concentrated by the salivary glands into nitrite. Salivary nitrite is then acidified into nitric oxide in our stomachs and in our mouths, limiting the growth of pathogenic species. Nitric oxide is also a vasodilator that increases blood flow, thus reducing blood pressure and leading to a whole host of positive health benefits.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed. They have a positive impact on the oral microbiome by altering the mouth’s ecology; promoting beneficial species, and crowding out the pathogens. Incorporating fermented foods such as kefir, live Greek yoghurt and sauerkraut into your diet may help reduce inflammation and promote periodontal health.
Lifestyle matters
In addition to nourishment, lifestyle plays an essential role when it comes to nurturing our health. What we eat impacts our mood and how we feel, as does our lifestyle. Choosing to prioritise our bodies has a positive impact on our minds. Finding the right work-life balance is key, but certain other fundamentals cannot be overlooked.
Sleep is paramount to paving the way to improved emotional and physical wellbeing. A beneficial bedtime routine, involving a calm sleep environment and a regular sleep pattern, is a powerful stress reducer. It may result in less likelihood of suffering from stress-related conditions, including those of the mouth such as bruxism. Stress negatively impacts our immune system and makes us more likely to neglect positive health habits, including dietary choices and oral hygiene practices. This can have a compounding negative effect on our overall health.
Movement is another fundamental to nurturing full body health. Exercising not only reduces the risk of systemic health conditions including heart disease, type II diabetes and obesity, but some evidence shows an improvement on our periodontal health too. Exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect on our bodies and those with periodontal disease have been shown to demonstrate a lower level of physical performance. Movement, especially alongside a meditative element, such as with yoga, has been shown to positively impact mental health as well as physical health. Yoga can be an effective tool to manage stress, and when combined with nature, can have a powerful impact on our overall wellbeing. Studies show that nature can lower elevated blood pressure and reduce anxiety and depression.
The powerful role of lifestyle and nutrition in terms of our general health, extends to our oral health too. It should play a significant role in prevention strategies employed by dental professionals, and it is time to pay attention to both our patients and ourselves.
For more information visit www.thelifestyledentist.co.uk