Monthly Archives: May 2014

This month is National Smile Month (www.nationalsmilemonth.org) a campaign organised by the British Dental Foundation to remind us all about the importance of looking after our teeth. A healthy smile is a great asset, it can make you look more attractive, feel more confident, appear younger, more approachable and more successful but the benefits of looking after your teeth and gums extends way beyond the Hollywood Smile. Poor oral hygiene has been linked with increased risk of dementia, heart disease stroke, certain types of cancer, infertility, complications in pregnancy and impotence. Regular brushing, flossing and using a fluoride containing mouth wash are an absolute must but the road to healthy teeth and gums doesn’t end there - you also need to pay attention to your diet. Some food and drinks like strong tea, coffee, red wine, liquorice, curry, beetroot and blackcurrant can stain the surface of your teeth, so if you want to keep your pearly whites pearly white consume these things in moderation and when you do swill your mouth out with water after you’ve finished eating or chew some sugar free gum. Although most of us think about sugar as the number one enemy when it comes to our teeth the real threat comes from acidic food and drinks such as fruit, fruit juice and fizzy soft drinks, even diet free fizzy drinks, which damage teeth by weakening the tooth enamel, the hard, protective coating, which protects the sensitive dentine beneath. When the enamel is worn away the dentine is exposed, allowing decay to spread more rapidly through the tooth leading to infection, inflammation, pain, sensitivity and eventually the formation of an abscess. But it’s not just presence of fermentable carbs, sugar or the acidity of the food and drinks we consume that we need to think about, the physical charactistics of a food, particular how sticky it is and how long it clings to the teeth and frequency with which we expose our teeth to these foods are also important. Each time we eat or sip a drink containing carbohydrate or sugar, decay-causing bacteria present on the teeth start to produce acid. This continues for 20 to 30 minutes after eating or drinking, longer if food sticks around the teeth. In between periods of eating and drinking saliva works to neutralise the acids and assist in the process of remineralisation but if you are constantly snacking or sipping throughout the day the tooth enamel doesn’t have a chance to remineralise completely and caries can start to occur. But not everything we eat is bad for our teeth some foods help protect against tooth decay. Eating a piece of hard cheese at the end of a meal, for instance, increases the flow of saliva which will help to neutralise acid. Dairy products also contain minerals such as calcium, which protect the teeth against demineralisation. Chewing sugar-free gum after eating will also help stimulate the production of saliva, which helps to neutralise plaque acid.   Tips for Healthy Teeth and Gums þ Brush your teeth for 2 minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste þ Clean between your teeth using dental floss to remove plaque and food deposits. þ Use a fluoride based mouthwash to help re-mineralise tooth enamel and kill plaque forming bacteria. þ Consume acidic or sweetened drinks such as orange juice with meals rather than in between meals. Avoid brushing your teeth for 20minutes after eating or drinking acidic food or drink. Swill your mouth out with water as soon as you’ve finished eating these foods þ Chew sugar-free gum for 10minutes after meals helps to stimulate the production of saliva. Some chewing gums contain a sugar-free sweetener called xylitol, which suppresses caries forming bacteria þ Eat a balanced diet, rich in wholegrain cereals, beans, pulses, fruits, vegetables, lean meat/fish and dairy products. þ If you want to snack between meals choose tooth friendly snacks like yoghurt or raw vegetables þ Limit your intake of sweet foods like biscuits, cakes, chocolate and sweets. þ If you can’t brush your teeth after meals eating a stick of celery will help clean your teeth þ Visit your dentist and dental hygienist regularly.

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