Do not eat or drink anything more than 7 times a day
Many foods can attack the enamel of your teeth. In itself, this is not a problem. Your teeth will repair themselves over time. Saliva plays an important role in this process. Saliva neutralises acid and thus has a protective effect. If you eat too often in one day, your teeth will not have enough chance to recover. This is why eating or drinking certain drinks throughout the day is detrimental to your teeth.
How does eating and drinking affect my teeth?
Almost all of our food and drink contains sugars and starches. Dental plaque is made up of bacteria and products of bacteria. These convert sugars and starches in the mouth into acids. These acids cause cavities in your teeth. Sugars are added to many foods, such as sweets, biscuits and soft drinks. But there are also naturally occurring sugars in products, for example in fruit. Starch is in potatoes, pasta, bread, crackers and legumes. If you often consume foods that contain sugar and starch, you are at greater risk of cavities in your teeth.
How do drinks affect my teeth?
Among other things, acid is found in wine ...
Soft drinks, fruit juices, yoghurt drinks and wine contain acids as well as sugars that cause cavities. You hardly taste the acid. The sugar dominates the sour taste. Acids attack your tooth enamel. This causes your teeth to wear down. This type of wear is called Acid Wear. Acid erosion is an insidious process that is not easy to repair. It is not just about how many acidic products you eat and drink. The more often and the longer you keep acidic products in your mouth, the higher the risk of Acid Wear. The way you eat and drink also has an impact. If tooth erosion is not combated, acids can dissolve tooth enamel and then even the exposed dentin. Water, coffee and plain tea without sugar are not harmful to your teeth.
How often can I eat and drink something without risking cavities?
The risk of cavities is small if you eat or drink three main meals a day and a maximum of four times in between. Then your teeth will have enough chance to recover.
Are light products better for my teeth?
Sugar-free light products such as sweeteners for coffee or light drinks contain sugar substitutes. These products do not cause cavities. However, light drinks contain the same amount of acid as regular soft drinks. Acid (tooth erosion) is thus the same with light soft drinks as with regular soft drinks.
How do I reduce the risk of wearing out my teeth?
Do not eat or drink acidic products one hour before brushing your teeth
Do not eat or drink products containing acids too often. Do not take acid an hour before brushing your teeth. This is because acid attacks tooth enamel. The brush and toothpaste have an abrasive action. If you brush your teeth immediately after eating or drinking acid, you can easily brush away the tooth enamel. So then your teeth wear down faster. The same applies if you brush your teeth immediately after vomiting. Even then, give your teeth time to recover. Read more here tooth erosion.
Does it matter for the health of my teeth which snack I take?
The number of snacks has the most impact on the deterioration of your teeth. Of course, you also know that a piece of fruit is better than liquorice, pickles or other sticky sweets. Foods that you need to chew well, such as brown sandwiches, raw vegetables and fruit, also stimulate salivation. Remember that many drinks also belong to snacks. They can cause cavities and tooth wear.
Snack wisely, eat an apple. Really?
An apple or other (fresh) fruit is a sensible snack, even if it contains sugar. Fruit is not sticky and is usually eaten in one sitting. Moreover, fruit is healthy.
What is the effect of chewing gum?
Choose sugar-free chewing gum
When you chew gum, you activate the production of protective saliva. Most types of gum contain sugar substitutes. Look for it on the packaging and choose a sugar-free variant. Xylitol is a natural sweetener. Xylifresh
chewing bowl with 100% xylitol helps prevent plaque and is recommended by the Ivory Cross.
What else can I do to keep my teeth healthy?
Good oral hygiene keeps your teeth, molars and gums healthy. Therefore, brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. A toothbrush alone cannot properly clean the spaces between teeth. Therefore, on the advice of your practitioner, use interdental brushes, dental floss or toothpicks daily.
Tips for healthy teeth
- Opt for three main meals a day to reduce your need for snacks.
- Use something between meals a maximum of four times a day.
- Eat sour fruit once or twice a day at most.
- Drink soft drinks and other acidic beverages in moderation.
- Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
- Use brushes, dental floss or toothpicks daily to clean the spaces between your teeth.
Do you still have questions? If so, please contact your dentist or dental hygienist.
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