Below is an excerpt from an article found on Colgate.com that was written by Yolanda Eddis Healthy eating is essential for your overall health. Choosing foods and beverages that provide the right amount of energy and nutrients goes a long way toward maintaining not only a healthy body, but also a healthy mouth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer numerous nutrition resources, such as sample recipes, menus and educational tools that will guide you in picking out the right foods and drinks to consume. By knowing how to eat healthy, you can improve your physical and oral health, prevent disease and promote healthy growth and development for children and adolescents. What Is a Nutritious Diet? Eating a nutritious diet has many benefits. A well-balanced diet should include foods from the basic food groups and subgroups along with the right oils. Nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals are a staple of healthy diets, but it's also important to avoid eating too many or too few nutrients. In an effort to assist consumers to learn how to eat healthy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture developed the MyPlate website. MyPlate illustrates the five food groups, which include fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy, and provides several examples of each. Oils that come from different plants and fish are also recommended although they don't constitute a food group of their own. The selection of foods from these groups can be fresh, canned, frozen or dried. The site also recommends different ways to balance your caloric intake by increasing nutrients and decreasing the consumption of sugar and sodium in meals and snacks. To read the entire article visitColgate.com. The remainder of the article details the following:
Below is an excerpt from an article found on Colgate.com that was written by the ADA Can food or drink choices help a person have healthier gums? Japanese researchers studied a group of nearly 950 adults to determine whether consuming dairy products with lactic acid like milk, yogurt and cheese, had a lower risk for gum disease. Participants' periodontal health was evaluated through two measurements - periodontal pocket depth and clinical attachment loss of gum tissue. Researchers found that participants who consumed 55 grams or more each day of yogurt or lactic acid drinks had significantly lower instance of periodontal disease. They found that consuming milk or cheese was not as beneficial to periodontal health. Researchers theorize that the probiotic effect of Lactobacillus bacteria could be related to healthier gums. Another Japanese study showed that adults who drank green tea might also lead to healthier gums, because its antioxidants have anti - inflammatory properties. To read the entire article visit Colgate.com.
In Case of Emergency... Have your dentist’s contact info handy in your cell phone or keep a business card in your wallet. “If you think you need to talk to somebody, you probably do,” Dr. Messina says. In fact, more dental emergencies can be resolved over the phone than you might think (especially if you keep up regular visits). “As a patient, it’s hard to know the difference between something that needs to be treated right away and something that can wait until you get home,” he says. “That’s what we are here for.”
In Case of Emergency Overseas... If you are out of the country and absolutely in need of a dentist, Dr. Messina recommends getting in touch with the local consulate or U.S. embassy. “While talking to the concierge at the hotel is OK, ask the consulate and their employees for a recommendation,” he says. “It’s an independent recommendation and not someone who may be driving business because of a contract or to a relative.” To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org.