Nutrition: Essentials for Dental Assisting Chp 16

Introduction to Nutrition

• Nutrition involves selection, intake, and utilization of nutrients for energy, growth, maintenance, and well-being.

• Well-nourished individuals heal better and resist infection.

Role of the Dental Assistant

• Counsel patients on preventing tooth decay.

• Advise on post-oral surgery diet.

• Perform dietary analysis.

• Counsel orthodontic patients on food choices.

Dietary Guidelines

• Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs): Daily levels of essential nutrients based on scientific knowledge, reevaluated every 4 years.

• Food Guide Pyramid: Reflects dietary guidelines, promoting more grains and less meat, sweets, and fats.

Key Nutrients

• Carbohydrates: Body's chief energy source. Divided into simple sugars, complex carbohydrates (starches), and dietary fiber (roughage).

  • Cariogenic Foods: Contain sugars or carbohydrates metabolized by bacteria into plaque. Refined/sticky carbs are highly cariogenic. Saliva helps wash away sugars and provides fluoride.

• Proteins: Composed of amino acids, essential for building and repair, provide energy.

  • Essential Amino Acids: Eight must come from food.

  • Sources: Complete (meat, fish, eggs), partially complete (grains, vegetables), incomplete (corn, gelatin).

• Fats: Provide energy, essential fatty acids, transport vitamins, insulate heat, form cell components, protect organs.

  • Cholesterol: Found in saturated fats; categorized as HDL (good) and LDL (bad). Limit intake to less than $250 \text{ mg}/\text{day}$.

  • Antioxidants: Vitamins E, C, and beta-carotene prevent cholesterol oxidation and arterial damage.

• Vitamins: Organic substances essential for growth and health, do not supply energy but help release it. $13$ identified: $4$ fat-soluble (A, D, E, K) and $9$ water-soluble (B-complex, C).

• Minerals: Inorganic substances; $14$ essential minerals. Major ones: sodium, potassium, calcium, chlorine, phosphorus, magnesium. Trace elements: iron, zinc, copper, selenium, chromium, manganese, iodine, fluorine.

• Water: Approximately $2/3$ of body weight. Assists in tissue building, temperature regulation, and joint/mucous membrane lubrication.

Diet Modification and Analysis

• Diet Modification: Adjust diet based on consistency (e.g., soft foods for orthodontics), caloric levels (for healing), spiciness (avoid post-procedure irritation), and nutrient levels.

• Dietary Analysis: Patient keeps a $3$-day diet diary, documenting all food, amount, preparation, and time. Reviewed with dental team.

Food Labels and Organic Foods

• Food Labels: Must include individual serving size, servings per container, total calories, calories from fat, and percentage of daily value.

• Organic Foods: Grown without chemical pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or hormones; closely monitored.

Eating Disorders

• Serious medical, oral, and psychological implications. Common in $14-25$ year-old females (ratio $10:1$).

• Anorexia Nervosa: Self-starvation.

• Bulimia: Bingeing-and-purging, causes dental erosion.

• Female Athlete Triad: Restrictive dieting, overexercise, low body fat in young female athletes, leading to osteoporosis and amenorrhea. Dental risks: enamel decalcification, increased caries, periodontal inflammation.

• Management: Psychiatric diseases requiring a team approach involving dentists who are often the first to diagnose.

Healthy Habits

• Eat $5$ servings of fruits/vegetables daily, plus grains, beans, dairy.

• Ensure sufficient calcium and vitamin D for strong bones.

• Eat whole grains, leafy greens, seafood, lean meats, vegetable oils for immune system support (vitamins E, B6, zinc).

• Maintain healthy body weight.

• Engage in aerobic exercise and stretching.