ISD Nutrition Services Dept Promotes Healthy Diet & Healthy Teeth

Richardson ISD Nutrition Services Department Promotes Healty Diet, Healthy Teeth

The Nutrition Services department is made up of a group of food and nutrition pros that are dedicated to students’ overall health, well being and their ability to learn. We support learning by promoting healthy routines for lifelong diet and fitness strategies.

Meals, foods and refreshments promoted or offered at schools meet state and government conditions which are based on the USDA Nutritional Criteria. We provide students with easy access to a range of cost effective and desirable meals that meet the health and nutrition desires of students.

HOW DIET EFFECTS YOUR DENTAL HEALTH

For healthy living and for healthy teeth and gums, think before you eat and drink. It’s not only what you eat but when you eat that can influence your dental health and wellness. Consume a well balanced diet and reduce between-meal indulgences. If you are on a specific diet, keep your physician’s advice in mind when choosing dishes.
For excellent dental health and wellness, keep these ideas in mind when deciding on your meals and snacks:

1. Consume lots of pure water.
2. Eat a selection of foods from each of the five major food groups, incorporating:
   – whole grains
   – fruits
   – vegetables
   – lean sources of protein such as lean beef, skinless poultry and seafood; dry beans, peas and other legumes
   – low-fat and fat-free dairy foods items

Restrict the number of snack foods you consume. If you do snack, choose a little something that is healthy like fruit or vegetables or a slice of cheese. Foods that are enjoyed as part of a meal cause less risk to teeth than ingesting lots of snack foods throughout the day, because much more saliva is released during a meal. Saliva helps wash foods from the mouth and minimizes the effects of acids, which can tarnish teeth and bring about tooth cavities.

For great oral health, always remember to brush more than once a day with fluoride toothpaste that has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance, floss everyday and go to your dentist frequently. With standard oral care, your dentist can help avoid oral complications from arising in the first place and catch those that do happen in the early stages, while they are easy to handle.

LIMIT THE INTAKE OF SUGAR

Meals that contain sugars of any kind can add to tooth deterioration. To control the level of sugar you consume, read the nutrition facts and ingredient stickers on foods and beverages and choose products that are lowest in sugar. Common sources of sugar in the diet program include sodas, candy, desserts and pastries. Your medical doctor or a registered dietitian can also provide pointers for consuming a wholesome diet. If your diet is deficient in certain vitamins and mineral, it may be much more challenging for cells in your mouth to resist disease. This may contribute to periodontal disorder. Intense gum disorder is a primary reason of tooth loss in mens and women. Many specialists believe that the disorder progresses faster and is possibly more serious in people with poor diet.

To find out what foods items are best for you, head to ChooseMyPlate.gov, a site from the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, a department of U.S. Division of Agriculture. The website contains nutritional guidance for kids and mens and women based on their levels of physical activity.

Oral rot happens when plaque come into contact with glucose in the mouth, making acid to attack the teeth.

INSTEAD OF SUGAR, LOOK TO THESE HEALTH SNACKS TO MAINTAIN HEALTHY GUMS AND TEETH

Apples

While the ADA strongly recommends steering clear of a large number of sweet foods items, there are a number of exceptions. Fruits, such as apples, could be sweet, but they’re also very high in fibre and water. The action of eating an apple produces saliva in your mouth, which cleans away germs and food fragments. The coarse texture of the fruit also energizes the gums. Ingesting an apple isn’t the same as brushing your teeth with a toothpaste that includes fluoride, such as Colgate ® Total ®, but it can tide you over until you have a chance to brush. Pack either a whole apple or apple wedges in your lunch to give your mouth a good scrubbing at the conclusion of the entree.

Carrots

Like apples, carrots are crispy and full of fiber. Eating a handful of uncooked carrots at the end of the entree escalates saliva generation in your mouth, which reduces your threat of tooth decays. Along with being very high in fiber, carrots are a terrific source of vitamin A. Top a salad with a handful of pieces of raw carrots, or enjoy some baby carrots on their own.

Cheese

If you’re one of the numerous people who proclaim a love of cheese, you now have yet another reason to delight in this tasty food item. A study released in the May/June 2013 issue of General Dentistry, the journal of the American Academy of General Dentistry, reported at EurekAlert! identified that eating cheese increased the pH in the patients’ mouths and brought down their possibility of dental rot. It’s believed that the chewing needed to eat cheese raises saliva in the mouth. Cheese also contains calcium and protein, nutrients that strengthen tooth enamel.

Yogurt

Like cheese, yogurt is very high in calcium and protein, which makes it a pretty good selection for the strength and health of your teeth. The probiotics, or helpful bacteria, found in yogurt also benefit your gums because the good bacteria crowd out bacteria that bring about cavities. If you resolve to add even more yogurt to your diet regimen, opt for a plain variety with no added sweetener.

Celery

Celery might get a bad reputation for being flavorless, watered-down and full of those pesky strings, but like carrots and apples, it behaves a bit like a toothbrush, scraping food fragments and germs away from your teeth. It’s also a really good source of vitamins A and C, 2 anti-oxidants that give the wellness of your gums a boost. Make celery even tastier by covering it with cream cheese.

Almonds

Almonds are terrific for your teeth because they are a great source of calcium and protein while being low in sugar. Indulge in a fourth cup of almonds with your lunch or dinner. You can also include a variety to a salad or to a stir-fry meal.

Along with adding more leafy greens, dairy products and fibrous vegetables to your eating plan, pay attention to what you’re drinking. Since it has zero calories or sugar, water is generally the best choice, especially compared to fruit juice or soda. Your diet plan makes a big difference when it comes to a healthy smile.

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens normally find their way onto any healthy foods lineup. They’re full of vitamins and minerals while being low in calories. Leafy greens such as kale and spinach also improve oral health. They’re high in calcium, which builds your teeth’s enamel. They also consist of folic acid, a type of B vitamin and mineral that has many health perks, including possibly curing gum disorders in pregnant women, according to MedlinePlus. If you have trouble getting leafy greens into your dietary plan, add a variety of baby spinach to your next salad or throw some kale on a pizza. You can also try putting some greens to a juice smoothie.

GOOD DECISIONS EQUALS GOOD DENTAL HEALTH

Your physical body is a complicated machine. The foods you decide on and how often you ingest them can have a bearing on your basic health and the health of your teeth and gums, too. If you consume too many sugar-filled soft drinks, sweetened fruit beverages or non-nutritious snack foods, you could be at risk for tooth degeneration. Tooth decomposition is the single most frequent on going childhood illness, but the good news is that it is totally preventable.

For even more good ideas on good diet program and dental health, follow the Richardson ISDs nutritional site at: http://www.richardsonisdchildnutrition.com.

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ABOUT DR. KATHRYN JODRY, DDS:
As one of the premier Dentist In Richardson Tx, Dr. Jodry provides affordable dental care, cosmetic dentistry, sedation dentistry restorative care in Richardson, Texas and the surrounding areas. Call us today at: (972) 235-6752 or Email: kjodrydds@yahoo.com