For healthy teeth and gums, just like for a healthy lifestyle it is important to think before you eat and drink. What you eat and when you eat can both affect your dental health. Try to eat healthy meals and limit snacks in between meals.
If you do snack- choose healthy snacks like fruit or vegetables or a piece of cheese and drink plenty of water. Foods that are eaten as part of a meal cause less harm to teeth than eating lots of snacks throughout the day, because more saliva is released during a meal. Saliva helps wash foods from the mouth and lessens the effects of acids, which can harm teeth and cause cavities.
Try to limit your family’s intake of acidic drinks including packaged fruit juices, soft drinks, energy drinks and alcohol -as these contain high levels of sugar that feed the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Instead, substitute these drinks with water and unflavoured milk as much as possible.
For good dental health, always remember to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily and visit your dentist regularly. With regular dental care, we can help prevent oral problems from occurring in the first place and catch those that do occur in the early stages, while they are easy to treat.
