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Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition | September-October 20146C < Page 1C HYGIENE TRIBUNE By Robin Treasure H ygienists and dentists are well aware of the impact that diet has on a patient’s oral health and overall wellbe- ing, and patients will be more likely to follow dietary recom- mendations if they come from a trusted practitioner. So your relationship with your patient is the perfect opportunity to create a positive influence that extends far beyond the dental chair. While you may already en- courage a “healthy diet”, there is much confusion over what “healthy” actually means. Snacking can be especially chal- lenging, so in this article I’d like to offer a number of suggestions you can give your patients espe- cially in light of individual nutri- tional requirements: • Low energy: fatigue is a chief complaint among many people today, which sets off a vicious cy- cle of consuming sugar to obtain Diet advice from a Nutritionist – extending beyond the dental chair brief bursts in energy. Telling people to “just avoid sugar” will be ineffective if they’re strug- gling with fatigue. Instead, such patients should be encouraged to consume protein with a bit of healthy fat. Both the protein and the healthy fats provide a steady source of energy that burns ef- ficiently without peaks and troughs, and without encourag- ing weight gain (as opposed to sugar). Here are some examples of protein and health fat: - Chicken breast and avocado slices wrapped in a leaf of Ro- maine lettuce - Almond butter on celery sticks or carrot sticks - Hardboiled egg with sea salt • Craving sweets: often linked to low energy (above), as well as dehydration, the patient should address the underlying energy issues and drink adequate wa- ter. Yet to satisfy the immediate craving, suggest one of the fol- lowing snacks: - Crunchy, sweet apple or ripe banana (fruit should always be ripe and in season, otherwise it won’t taste good!) - Fresh berries on whole, plain yogurt - Herbal tea or green tea sweet- ened with stevia (the extract of a sweet herb that is entirely natural and does not affect blood sugar) - Glass of water with fresh squeezed lemon juice and stevia • Dental decay: in addition to avoiding processed sugar as much as possible, dental decay must also be addressed by en- suring the patient is consuming enough of the fat-soluble vita- mins (A, D, K and E). These vi- tamins work synergistically with the minerals in our body to en- sure the strength of our teeth. Examples of good sources of fat- soluble vitamins are: - Butter from grass-fed cows (such as “Kerrygold” brand) spread on a rice cracker - Smoked salmon and cucumber slices rolled up in nori seaweed Ideally, your patients’ main meals should be nutritious and satisfying enough that they won’t actually need snacks in between. But if they’re experi- encing the issues cited above, these snacks will be satisfying and are packed with nutritional value. Robin Treasure is a wellness coach who hails from the United States and received her profes- sional training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She works with clients experienc- ing stress and burnout by help- ing them make key changes in their diet, lifestyle and mindset. Moreover, she designs strategies to help her clients thrive while meeting the demands of their daily lives. For further information, please visit: www.robintreasure.com Contact Information extraordinary people and have had the opportunity to be a dental professional spokesper- son on a popular day-time tele- vision show. Most importantly, this award has reinforced in my heart and soul why I wanted to become a registered dental hygienist. I wanted to touch people’s lives. I wanted to motivate and inspire people. That is what the Pros in the Profession is all about! The goal of the Pros in the Profes- sion award is to honor those who inspire us. I do hope that I have inspired others to be awe- some at whatever they strive to make their life mission, and I thank Crest Oral-B for the op- portunity to represent their idea of an outstanding hygien- ist. “The goal of the Pros in the Profession award is to honor those who inspire us.”