If your diet is low in certain nutrients, it may be harder for the tissues of your mouth to resist infection. This may be a contributing factor to periodontal (gum) disease, the main cause of tooth loss in adults.
Although poor nutrition does not actually cause periodontal disease, many researchers believe that the disease progresses faster and is more severe in patients whose diet does not supply the necessary nutrients.

To make sure that you are getting enough nutrients for good general and oral health, you should choose foods from the four basic food groups:
fruits and vegetables, breads and cereals, milk and dairy products, and meat, fish, and eggs. When you do snack, avoid soft, sweet, sticky foods, such as cakes, candy and dried fruits, that cling to your teeth and
promote tooth decay. Instead, choose dentally healthy foods such as nuts, raw vegetables, plain yogurt, cheese, popcorn and sugarless gum or candy. To have a diet that promotes dental health, you must develop
sensible eating habits.

If you and your family have a balanced diet, you will get all the nutrients you need for good dental health, with one possible exception -- fluoride.
Fluoride is vital for strong, decay-resistant teeth. If there is not enough fluoride in your community water supply, the level of fluoride can be adjusted to the right amount for good dental health (about one part
fluoride per million parts water). If your drinking water is not fluoridated, ask your dentist how you can get the fluoride you need.