DEAR DR. BLONZ: Do you have any nutritional advice for helping someone avoid the need for dental work? I get all stressed out every time I go to the dentist. -- C.F., Phoenix, Arizona

DEAR C.F.: The nutrients needed for healthy teeth are similar to those needed for healthy bones -- and for health in general. These include calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin D and trace elements, including minimal amounts of fluoride.

A good diet of vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and other protein sources can easily provide these things. If dairy isn’t on the menu, then mineral-rich leafy greens and other foods will need to be there. A multivitamin or multimineral can also help as a supplement, but there is no magic there; extra levels of a nutrient don’t make it “work” better, and supplements should never be thought of as a replacement for a healthful diet. Interestingly, our teeth begin to form during the second month of our mothers’ pregnancies -- another reason to ensure that maternal diets have a rich supply of essential nutrients.

Regarding your comment about preventing the need for dental work, I recall a scene from the 1992 movie “Prelude to a Kiss,” starring Meg Ryan and Alec Baldwin. On the way to the altar to marry Baldwin’s character, Ryan’s character kisses an elderly gentleman, causing their spirits to switch bodies. Everything gets sorted out near the end, when their spirits return to their proper places. During the final scene, the elderly gentleman is asked, in light of his brief re-taste of youth, what he would do if he could live his life over again. He says he wouldn’t change a thing, except that he would floss a bit more.

This story is my “prelude” to the concept that care of the teeth and gums is critical. We need to consider the effects of food and other substances in contact with our teeth. Sticky substances, especially those containing sugars, can serve as fodder for the bacteria that hang out in the mouth, residing in the plaque. The bacteria metabolize the carbs and produce destructive acids that eat away our teeth’s hard enamel. Dental care, including brushing, flossing and rinsing, helps block this process, in part by removing the fuel used by these tooth-destroying bugs.

I can relate to your stress issue. While growing up, I had a problematic relationship with my dental health. Our family had limited resources, and we had to rely on an old-school dentist who was a family friend. Unfortunately, this guy did not believe in Novocain. As a result, I came to fear dental care and its associated discomfort, and never took care of my teeth. (You’d think I would be more diligent, to prevent such problems, but that’s not how I responded.)

It all changed when I was finally able to go to a dentist who used anesthetics. I still tend to sweat at the onset of any dental procedure, but that’s probably deep within my wiring. I had never flossed in my youth, but I now take good care of my teeth without giving it a second thought. I adopted the “only brush and floss those teeth you want to keep” maxim, and it has served me well.

A healthful diet, regular brushing and flossing, and periodic exams and cleanings are the best preventatives I can recommend. Here’s to keeping that smile healthy.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: Our family recipe for tamales, which we have made and enjoyed for generations, uses lard, along with corn, meat, almonds, raisins and sauce. Whenever I teach the recipe to Americans, they want to use other fats, but I have found that nothing works as well or tastes as good as the lard. My parents and grandparents have lived in good health to their 90s eating these foods, so I am confused about the concerns about lard. Are these fears justified? -- M.R.S., San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

DEAR M.R.S.: While there are valid concerns about consuming excess saturated fats, the guidance is to limit them, not eliminate them entirely.

Fats and oils are blends of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. With lard, like other food fats, 100% of the calories come from fat. Approximately 39% of the lard’s fats are saturated, 45% are monounsaturated and 11% are polyunsaturated. Compare this with olive oil, where 14% are saturated, 72% are monounsaturated and 9% are polyunsaturated.

Much of the saturated fat in lard comes from stearic acid, which has a somewhat neutral effect on blood lipids. Also, because lard is of animal (pork) origin, it will contain cholesterol: One-fourth of a cup of it contains 49 milligrams of dietary cholesterol.

So what is our bottom line? Lard is not a food fat to be used with abandon -- no fat is. As with any dietary fat, and perhaps especially with one high in saturates, the dangers come not so much from the fat as from the context of the entire diet. Even fats that might be considered “healthful” can compound problems if they are part of an unbalanced, highly processed, fast-food-type diet bereft of vegetables and fruits. It is the whole foods of plant origin that give the body the nutrients and phytochemicals it needs to properly handle dietary fats.

Eat well and stay active, and fat becomes just another element in the foods we make and enjoy. Fat is an integral element of many a traditional dish, such as tamales. Lard can be used, and the foods can and should be treasured for their rich flavors and textures. The excellent health and longevity experienced by your family eating traditional Latin American cuisines speak well to this point.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I can’t tell much difference in the tastes of the wide variety of nondairy milks. Do any of them hold nutritional advantages over the others, or are they all more or less the same? -- S.H., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR S.H.: There’s quite a variety out there: The nondairy milk category now includes products based on soy, almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, coconut, hemp, peas (usually labeled as “plant-based milk”), rice, oats, flax and even bananas.

There can be significant differences in taste, texture, protein, fat and sugar content. Many are marketed as substitutes for cow’s milk, and they are purposefully fortified with calcium and other nutrients typically found in dairy.

The point here is that you cannot generalize the nutritional value for such a diverse group. It is best to view the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient lists for the products you are considering -- alongside dairy milk or other options -- to see how things compare.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I have been grinding my flaxseed and storing it in the refrigerator for use on my breakfast cereal. I typically grind enough to last a month or so. However, a recent article about how the omega fats in flaxseed can oxidize suggested I should not continue this routine. Is this a correct assumption? -- F.S., Berkeley, California

DEAR F.S.: Unground flaxseeds last a while; be sure to check the expiration date on this and any product. Grinding and storing them in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator should be fine, but consider shifting your storage to the freezer, as this would provide an extra measure of protection from heat and light. As a general rule, the closer to the time of use that you grind the seeds, the better.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I enjoy roasted nuts, especially almonds. But are they as healthy as the raw versions? -- A.L., online

DEAR A.L.: Nuts and seeds tend to be healthful foods, and almonds are no exception. The nutritional differences between roasted and raw almonds are not that significant, so my advice is to stick with the ones you prefer. I also enjoy roasted almonds, which are now available in a variety of flavors.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I generally enjoy your column, but was disappointed by the recent column about beans, in which you did not mention the option of purchasing frozen, cooked beans. The writer apparently felt that their only options were cooking beans from scratch or getting canned beans; what about frozen? The writer was concerned about sodium content, so I’m surprised they didn’t notice the low-sodium and no-sodium options right next to the regular versions. Perhaps you can supplement what you wrote in the column by mentioning the frozen option, or at least write to this person and add that idea. -- M.L., online

DEAR M.L.: Thank you, and I’m sorry to hear that you were disappointed by that column. My response had focused on canned beans because that was what the writer had in their pantry. I could have added the possibility of starting with dried beans, where soaking is part of the prep, and you can control how much salt is added. And I also could have mentioned the option of buying frozen beans, as you suggested. Sincere thanks for your comments, which are now part of this discussion.

Send questions to: "On Nutrition," Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.