The Right Diet Choices for Their Teeth
A healthy diet is vital for great dental health. Every time you eat or drink something sugary, your teeth are under acid attack for up to one hour as the sugar reacts with the bacteria in plaque and produces harmful acids. This causes dental erosion – the gradual loss of tooth enamel caused by acid attacks. Enamel is the hard, protective coating of the tooth which, if worn away, can cause your teeth to become sensitive and look discoloured.
It’s better to have three or four meals a day, rather than lots of snacks but, if they do need to eat between meals, offer them:
- Plain popcorn
- Nuts
- Cheese
- Breadsticks
- Plain yogurt
- Rice cakes
- Unsweetened cereal
- Plain bagels
- Fresh soup
- Raw vegetable pieces
- Fresh fruit
When it comes to refreshments:
- Still water and milk are the best things to drink
- Tea without sugar is also good for teeth as it contains fluoride
- Fruit juices should be limited to mealtimes – or try diluting them with water
- Fizzy drinks should be avoided as they cause dental erosion. If they do have fizzy drinks, use a straw to help the drink go to the back of the mouth and reduce the number of acid attacks on the teeth
