As we all know – the most common and abundant forms are sugars, starches, and fibers. Foods high in carbohydrates are a vital part of a healthy diet. Healthy carbs provide your body with glucose, converted to energy used to support physical activity and bodily functions.

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In today’s world, most of you understand sugar’s effects on your teeth. What about your teeth, and what about healthy carbs? Seemingly harmless snacks such as fruit snacks do not seem like a threat. But in reality, most snacks can lead to surprise cavities in your mouth. You should know all about carbs and unexpected cavity development caused due to these carbs.

Healthy Carbs and Their Benefits

There are indeed many benefits of carbohydrates. You only need to make sure you are eating them in moderation. A carbohydrate-intensive diet may lead to high blood sugar and unwanted weight gain

But it is also important to note that you should eat an appropriate amount of healthy carbs to meet your body’s nutritional needs and maintain a healthy weight.

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Besides proteins and fats, carbs are one of three macronutrients your body requires daily. The three main types of carbohydrates are starches, sugars, and fiber(fiber foods). Starches are called complex carbohydrates. You can find them in grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables like corn and potatoes. Sugars are known as simple carbohydrates. There are natural sugars in vegetables, fruits, milk, and honey. Added sugars are common in processed foods, syrups, and sugary drinks.

Why do you need healthy carbs?

Carbs are your body’s main source of energy as they help fuel your brain, heart muscles, kidneys, and central nervous system. For example, fiber is a carbohydrate that aids in digestion. It also helps you feel full and keeps your blood cholesterol levels in check. 

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Your body can store extra carbohydrates in your liver and muscles for use when you do not get enough carbohydrates in your diet. On the other hand, a carbohydrate-deficient diet could cause headaches, weakness, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, constipation, and bad breath. It can also lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Healthy Carbs for Dental Health

Thanks to the advent of high-protein diets, carbohydrates have been categorized as a dirty word. These organic compounds are essential to your body’s automated system. These carbs have numerous roles, including storing energy and providing the backbone of the genetic molecule known as RNA. They also fuel your body’s immune system. However, not all carbs that you know are created equally. They can provide a boost or destroy dental health.

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If you visit a store, you can find hundreds of foods that are classified as carbohydrates. These foods include fruits, bread, beans, pasta, potatoes, whole grains, vegetables, soft drinks, and candies. 

Although all these mentioned above are carbs, they are not equal in providing proper nutrition and boosting dental health. Most processed foods, including cookies, crackers, and soft drinks, are carbs known for contributing to high levels of oral bacteria. As a result, they provide tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease in the long run.

Fortunately, you can find plenty of great carbohydrates that are delicious and nutritious. These healthy carbs are capable of helping your dental health. Special thanks to the vitamins packed inside and the lower-sugar nature of these foods.

As you already know, nutritious foods are essential to life. According to various sources – humans should get about 45 percent to 75 percent of their diet from the right carbohydrates or healthy carbs. 

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Instead of choosing processed foods high in sugar, you should try eating the most natural options as they can help stabilize blood glucose. In addition, healthy carbs can boost the metabolism and deliver plenty of perks for dental health. 

Whole Grain Carbohydrates May Protect Your Oral Health

According to a new study, eating whole-grain carbohydrates can improve your oral health. The findings of the study were published in the Journal of Dental Research.

A research on oral health, commissioned by the World Health Organization indicated that for good oral health, you should stick to whole grain carbohydrates. Moreover, you should strictly avoid processed ones, especially if they are sweet. Processed food can do more harm than good.

Food contains different types of starchy carbohydrates with varying degrees of processing. But not all of them are healthy carbs. The researchers did not find any link between the total amount of starch eaten and tooth decay. But they found that more processed forms of starch could increase the risk of tooth cavities. They can be easily broken down into sugars in the mouth by amylase found in your saliva.

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Further findings suggested a lower risk of oral cancer or oral problems from consuming whole grain starches. Moreover, eating whole grains could also offer protection against all kinds of gum disease.

The study further suggested that a diet rich in whole grain healthy carbs are less likely to damage your oral health compared to the one containing processed starches. Studies were also done on rapidly digestible starches like white bread, biscuits, crackers, cakes, and pretzels. The research was also done on slowly digestible starches like whole grains and legumes. In addition, their relationships with dental caries, oral cancer and gum (periodontal) disease were also studied.

What Simple Carbs Can Do to Your Teeth 

Your body needs simple carbs to stay energetic throughout. It is important to understand that these nutrients are part of your dietary requirements. You need carbs in addition to proteins, vitamins, and minerals. 

Simple carbs are part of carbohydrates which generally consist of starchy and sugary foods. Examples of foods that have simple sugars often include doughnuts, candy, soda, and desserts, among others. Even though all these items taste good, they can still wreak havoc on your dental health. 

It is the same case with dried fruits such as grapes and plums. Once they are in a dry state, they tend to cling to your teeth or stick between the teeth’ crevices. Thus making it easy for the bacteria to cause more damage to your teeth. In such a scenario, if you are not observing proper oral hygiene or visiting a dentist regularly, rest assured that you will have tooth decay.

How Simple Crabs Can Affect Your Teeth

You would be surprised to know that your mouth is a haven for some form of bacteria. These naturally occurring microorganisms are generally harmless and depend on the conditions in your mouth. 

But when these microorganisms get into contact with simple carbs and other types of starchy foods, they automatically become a threat to your dental health. They use those carbs present in your mouth to produce an acid that breaks down your tooth enamel. 

The acid comprises the protecting enamel that causes the dental cavity. This dental problem will revive the structure of your teeth, thus making them weak and vulnerable to infections.

How to Avoid Dental Problems Caused by Simple Carbs

Do you know that you can prevent tooth decay by observing the best dental health practices? You should avoid eating excess foods rich in carbohydrates. 

But when you eat them, make sure you brush your teeth after 30 minutes to maintain the structure of your tooth enamel. Hope you know that brushing your teeth too soon or immediately after taking acidic foods or acidic drinks may cause acid wear and weaken your tooth enamel. 

Do not forget to rinse your mouth thoroughly using clean water. You can also chew sugarless gum after meals to neutralize acid attacks in your teeth.

White Flour is the Culprit

Believe it or not, all refined and processed foods like white bread, crackers, chips, or pasta can be equally harmful to your mouth as excess amounts of sugar. Carbohydrates in the mouth trigger bacteria to create acid which then can attack your enamel in the mouth.

Enamel is the protective layer on your teeth surface that helps fight off cavities. If the enamel is attacked and ultimately worn down, then the presence of carbs can lead to decay.

Avoid Sugary Drinks

In addition to starchy foods like bread or pasta, sugary drinks can also impact your enamel. Juices, sports drinks, energy drinks, and other sweetened beverages often cause the lingering carbs in the mouth to combine with excess amounts of bacteria. It then creates an acid that can easily break down the teeth.

Reducing Bacteria in the Mouth

Of course, you already know that carbohydrates are a normal part of any person’s diet. But you can reduce the intake thus reducing the development of these harmful acids and bacteria. 

You should try to choose water over flavored beverages whenever possible. If you consume carbohydrates, rinsing your mouth out with water is a simple step to reduce bacteria.

Finally, visiting our dentist periodically as it is a helpful tool to combat cavities and encourage healthy oral health habits.

The Bottomline

To reap the benefits of carbohydrates, you should choose carbohydrates that are loaded with nutrients. You should eat at least half of your carbohydrates from whole grains. Whole grains provide all the fiber you need that helps you feel full and satisfied with smaller portions.

You should avoid added sugar, processed foods, refined grains (like white bread), sodas, and other sweet drinks as much as possible. To help you look and feel your best, you should always choose nutrient-dense healthy carbs.