Drinking Milk Prevents Tooth Decay

Maintaining a balanced diet is just as important as proper oral and dental care in protecting dental health. Experts point to the importance of milk consumption, which is rich in calcium and phosphate, following hygiene measures to prevent tooth decay. Tooth decay, while being one of the most common health problems today, begins as a result of carbohydrates mixing with bacteria in the mouth and producing acid. Bacteria that cause acid formation in the mouth erode tooth enamel and lead to decay. Experts who note that milk consumption is necessary to prevent tooth decay emphasize that calcium and phosphate in milk renew the mineral tissue on the tooth surface and, by increasing the amount of calcium in saliva and plaque, prevent decay formation. With a pH value of 6.57, milk also plays an important role in preventing tooth decay. Prof. Dr. Neriman İnanç, Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Nuh Naci Yazgan University Faculty of Health Sciences, who notes that regular milk consumption reduces the formation of tooth decay when combined with maintaining oral hygiene after drinking milk, made the following assessment on the subject: "Excessively acidic and sugary foods increase the effect of microorganisms. Calcium and phosphorus in milk provide natural defense against these microorganisms." İnanç noted that sugar consumption is particularly high in children and stated that by drinking 2 glasses of milk per day, tooth decay that could develop can be prevented, and milk will compensate for and renew mineral loss on the tooth surface.