Together, a balanced diet, daily use of fluoride, and effective brushing and flossing can reduce the risk of, or even prevent, infectious dental disease.
A healthy immune system is essential to controlling periodontal disease. Diets, low in certain nutrients, reduce resistance to oral and dental infections, that is, periodontal disease (gum disease) and decay.
Bottle or municipal water supplies may not adequately supply the trace nutrient fluoride. Supplementation with oral tablets and topical application will reduce the incidence of dental decay by more than 60%.
Dietary sugars and starches (carbohydrates) increase the risk of tooth decay. The type of carbohydrate and the timing and frequency of ingestion are more important that the amount. Sticky foods are more harmful than non-sticky foods because they remain on the surface of the teeth. Frequent snacking increases the time that acids are in contact with the surface of the tooth.
