If you think about it, there's a clear link between the state of your teeth and your calorie intake. If someone has damaged (or even missing) teeth, this greatly influences the types of food that they can safely consume. It's the same with braces, and many people will find that their diet changes once those braces have been installed, even when this wasn't an entirely conscious decision. But are these changes anything to be concerned about?
Sugar Content and Enamel Erosion
How often did you clean your teeth before you received your braces? It was probably twice per day, but that might have changed once your braces were in place. The sugar content in the food and drink you consume is utilized by the bacteria in your mouth, resulting in the production of acid, which attacks your dental enamel. Braces create more surface area in your mouth, making it easier for damaging compounds to accumulate. This is why you should be cleaning your teeth more often once your braces have been installed. In fact, you should be cleaning them each time after consuming food, whether it's a meal or a snack.
Your Dietary Habits
The need for this regular cleaning can affect your dietary habits. It might be that you decide to skip a snack because you don't want to have to clean your teeth (and braces) afterwards. When this avoidance of snacks becomes a regular habit, your calorie intake is reduced, which can begin to affect your weight.
Weight Loss
This reduction of the amount of calories you consume isn't necessarily a negative thing. It's not likely that your braces will eventually lead to malnutrition. However, you might begin to lose weight when the amount of calories you consume is reduced in contrast to the amount of calories you burn. This might be a welcome development, and it's entirely a matter of personal preference.
An Adequate Calorie Intake
It's still important that you consume an adequate number of calories each day. However, it might be that your calorie intake will be primarily through your three regular daily meals, as opposed to snacking in between meals.
Your braces may result in some changes to your diet (particularly regarding the frequency with which you consume food), and you may experience some weight loss. This varies considerably from person to person, and while snacking between meals is acceptable, it's important to remember that your teeth and braces must be thoroughly cleaned afterwards.
To learn more about your options when it comes to braces, contact a dentist.
Share26 May 2021
When the bottled water craze began, I jumped on the bandwagon with everyone else who was drinking water from bottles instead of from the tap. I wasn't sure why bottled water was healthier, but I liked the taste. When I went for my next dental check-up, I had my first cavity in a while, so I had it filled and didn't think much of it. Well, I had two more during my next check-up after that, and I began trying to think of why my teeth were suddenly going bad. The only change in my habits was the switch to bottled water, so I made the switch back to tap water and my teeth began to improve. I created this blog to encourage others who have begun getting cavities suddenly to look into their changes in habits. They may find they made a change similar to mine.