The phrase, “you are what you eat,” or more correctly, “dis-moi ce que tu mange, je te dirai ce que tu es,” was coined in 1826 by Frenchmen, Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. The physician’s words have been used for more than a century to point to the biological imperative that oral and overall health are dictated in large part by nutrients absorbed from the food we eat. When it comes to oral health, food not only provides the nutrients necessary to maintain health, they can also be a delivery system for acids and sugars that damage teeth. Maintaining a balanced diet may be the difference between a lifetime of naturally beautiful smiles, and one filled with dental damage. Preventive dentistry appointments and at-home visits may not be enough to keep teeth healthy for patients who consume a high sugar or acidic diet.
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