Gainesville Nutritionists: 7 Resources to Know Plus Eating Tips for Healthy Teeth

When it comes to dental care, prevention works best. One of the best things you can do for your oral health is to regularly visit a dentist. Regular dental visits allow for professional cleaning, assessment of your overall dental health and screen for oral cancer. But just regularly going to the dentist is not enough. Your lifestyle habits play an important part in preventing dental decay. Other than having good dental habits, your diet also has an impact on your oral health. Below are seven excellent nutritionists in Gainesville who can help you build those good habits. Afterward, we have six tips on how to have a healthy diet for healthy teeth.

Nutritionists in Gainesville

A nutritionist can provide you with customized advice that is suited to your personal health condition and lifestyle. Here are a list of nutritionists in Gainesville that you can reach out to for advice:

Eating Wisdom

Dr. Karin Kratina is a proponent of intuitive eating and aims to guide her patients in transforming their mindsets when it comes to food. She offers nutrition counseling, workshops and somatic therapy to help heal eating issues. Contact her at karin@eatingwisdom.com or 352-371-8181 to learn more.

Nutrition Services at University of Florida

If you’re a student at University of Florida, head to the Student Health Care Center for nutrition counseling and education. What’s more, the health fee in your tuition covers most of the costs for SHCC visits. Your first visit will include an assessment, nutrition recommendations and a personalized nutrition plan.

Healthy Lifestyle Refinery

Run by Claire Carlton, a licensed dietitian, Healthy Lifestyle Refinery provides individuals with a holistic and personalized approach to nutrition in order to restore wellness and get your body performing as its best. She offers individual counseling as well as corporate wellness services. Contact her at clairecarltonrd@gmail.com or 353-284-8244.

Y Nut

Y Nut is run by Marta Ferraz Valles, a registered dietitian and nutritionist who believes that nutrition education is the key to creating a healthier lifestyle. She offers grocery tours, personalized meal plans and individual counseling. She can be reached at her website or 580-340-2509.

Dr. Dawn J. O’Byrne

Dr. O’Byrne is a licensed nutritionist who is dedicated to helping people foster their well-being. She works collaboratively with patients to help them make changes that will lead to healthier lives. She can be contacted at 352-2780-3487.

Mary Killian

Mary Killian, RD LDN is a Gainesville-based dietitian who provides services such as group counseling, advice on general nutrition and wellness, and advice on weight control. She can be contacted at 352-374-4449.

Laura Acosta

Laura Acosta at LifeStyle Wellness believes in making health a way of life. A licensed dietitian, she offers services such as nutrition education, counseling and customised meal plans. She can be contacted at 914-523-7224.

Tip No. 1 Drink More Water

Water is good for your teeth and gums. Drinking water after eating helps to wash away the residue of acids and sugars on your teeth. Fluoridated water is best, says the American Dental Association, because fluoride is “nature’s cavity fighter.” Studies have shown that communities that drink water without fluoride experience more dental problems. Another way that water helps with dental health is that it prevents dry mouth, which is an inadequate flow of saliva. Saliva is important to oral health because it washes away food debris and acids. It also provides minerals such as calcium and phosphate to tooth surfaces. A lack of saliva can increase the risk for tooth decay. Drinking more water is one way to mitigate this risk.

Tip No. 2: Say Yes to Calcium-Rich Foods

Nutrition and health expert Joy Bauer counts milk as one of the five best foods for healthy teeth. The calcium found in milk fights against gum disease and keeps your jaw bone healthy. She recommends low-fat or nonfat milk to reap the most nutrients without the fat of whole milk. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics similarly recommends foods that are high in calcium for good dental health. Among their recommendations are yogurt, cheese, tofu and dark green leafy vegetables. Ann Marie Gorczyca at The Doctor Weighs In adds that dairy items such as cheese and milk can help to neutralize the acid in our mouths that erodes tooth enamel. She points out, too, that cheese contains casein, which helps to repair tooth enamel.

Tip No. 3: Choose Foods With Vitamin D

Consuming calcium-rich is the first step; the second step is encouraging your body to absorb the calcium, and this is where Vitamin D comes into play. To include Vitamin D in your diet, simply add fatty fish such as salmon or Atlantic mackerel, Bauer suggests. She says, the Vitamin D in salmon is the easiest for your body to reap the full benefits of the calcium in your diet. Other than salmon, Healthline has compiled a list of other foods that are high in Vitamin D. They include cod liver oil, canned tuna, shrimp and mushrooms.

Tip No. 4: Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Raw foods such as fruits and vegetables are great for your teeth and gums for several reasons. First, they are rich in vitamins and minerals that contribute to strong teeth and gums. For instance, oranges and strawberries are full of Vitamin C, which help strengthen gums. According to Bauer, Vitamin C may also play a role in slowing the progression of gingivitis, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. Second, fruits and vegetables that are firm and crunchy have a cleaning effect on teeth. Sophia Breene at Greatist points out that firm, crunchy foods require lots of chewing, which encourages the flow of saliva and helps to “scrub” teeth. Reader’s Digest suggests apples, carrots and celery as foods that clean as you eat.

Tip No. 5: Be Smart About Snacking

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, being smart about snacking can improve your dental health. They recommend limiting the frequency of snacking because “the more often you eat, especially between meals, the more likely you are to introduce acid attacks on your teeth.” Acid attacks can erode teeth enamel and lead to cavity and tooth decay. What you snack on makes a difference, as well. Amanda Gardner at Health.com lists chewy and hard candy as two snacks that are especially bad for your teeth. Chewy candy tends to stick to your teeth, allowing bacteria to feed on it and produce acid that eats away at your teeth. The same is true for hard candies that stay in your mouth while they dissolve. Hard candy can also chip the enamel of your teeth. One healthy snack, says Catherine Winters at Live Science, is raisins. Their natural sweetness can curb your sweet tooth, yet they don’t contain sucrose or refined sugar, which creates plaque on our teeth. What’s more, raisins contain compounds that can kill bacteria in the mouth. Mike Matthews at Legion Athletics suggests the following healthy snacks for healthy teeth: yogurt, raw almonds, cranberries and cheese.

Tip No. 6: Drink Tea

It’s a well-known fact that coffee stains teeth. This is because coffee contains tannins that leave yellow stains on your teeth, says Healthline. Coffee also encourages bacteria in the mouth to grow, creating acid that eats away at tooth enamel. So, what do you do if you need a caffeine fix? Tea can be a better alternative. Winters cites research by the University of Illinois at Chicago that shows that black tea can reduce plaque buildup on our teeth. Tea, both black and green, also contains polyphenols, which can hinder the growth of bacteria in the oral cavity. Polyphenols can also prevent bad breath. Images by: Jose Ibarra, dolgachov/©123RF Stock Photo, Couleur, Krishnam Moosaddee