How to take care of your dental health during Eid

Festive meals and traditional sweets make up the spirit of Eid El Fitr. In the midst of celebration, make sure you keep up a teeth care routine and maintain a balanced diet to protect your dental health. We sat with Dr. Cherif Massoud, Chief Orthodontist at BASMA.com, who shared with us some insights and tips on that matter.

How does the food we consume affect our dental health?
Your diet can affect how healthy and strong your teeth are. In fact, foods rich in water, calcium, minerals, fiber, whole-grains, and vitamins help clear bacteria and acid from your mouth – preventing tooth decay, gum disease, and other teeth hygiene issues.

Can you share with us some examples of those foods?

Crunchy vegetables like carrots and celery, and leafy greens like lettuce and spinach, are considered natural teeth cleaners! Being rich in water and having a fibrous texture, they stimulate saliva production which washes down acid, bacteria, and food particles. They’re also rich in calcium, vitamins, and minerals that help protect your enamel and fight cavities, among other things.

Nuts are equally packed with some wonderful nutrients that are great for you teeth. They’re rich sources of calcium and phosphorus. Almonds, cashews, and Brazil nuts in particular have anti-bacterial qualities that help fight tooth decay. On another hand, walnuts contain calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, magnesium, folic acid, vitamins E and B6 – and the list goes on!

Finally, dairy products also make the list of good foods for your teeth. They stimulate saliva production and, being rich in calcium and protein, they help keep your teeth strong. Just make sure to consume sugar-free dairy and to properly brush your teeth afterwards to avoid “dairy breath”.

Speaking of sugar, why is it considered harmful for teeth?

 Starchy and sugary foods are breeding grounds for bacteria to build up, which can cause cavities or gum disease. That said, it’s best to limit your intake of sweets (fried and glazed) as well as sodas high in sugar during Eid. There are, however, great alternatives for those sugary foods – like apples and pears.

Rich in fibre, apples and pears also act as natural teeth cleaners and saliva stimulators. This in turn can eliminate the citric and malic acids from food particles in your mouth.

What is the ideal dental care routine during festive times like Eid?

During times like Eid, it’s essential to maintain a proper teeth care routine to preserve your dental health, like the one below:

• Brush your teeth for two full minutes, twice a day
• Use a floss to remove any food particles stuck between your teeth and scrape your tongue
• Rinse with mouthwash after meals to maintain a fresh breath
• Limit your intake of foods that cause bad breath like onions, garlic, and spicy foods
• Limit your intake of foods and drinks that are high in sugar

Aside from a balanced diet, what other tips can you share to maintain healthy teeth?

Having misaligned teeth and leaving them untreated can impact your overall health. The solution we offer is quite simple and easy: invisible aligner treatments, from home.

How does the treatment process look like at BASMA.com?

The process is divided into three steps, starting with a customer ordering the impression kit to take his teeth measurements at home before sending them back for assessment. Once his case is carefully evaluated and approved, we design his treatment plan alongside a 3D simulation of how his future smile will look like. After he approves the plan, we deliver his custom-printed set of aligners to his doorstep so he can begin treatment. An orthodontist will then monitor his progress on a monthly basis to make sure that everything is on track.