Lifestyle Tips for Healthy Teeth

You have so many good reasons to keep your family’s teeth and gums healthy.

Taking care of your general health and your mouth is the key to making the most of your smile.

Our lifestyle. diet, smoking, and drinking alcohol affect our dental health.

Here are simple ways to keep teeth strong and healthy from childhood to old age.

A healthy diet is good for your teeth

What you eat and drink can cause tooth decay, so a healthy diet is important for your teeth.

A balanced diet includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as starchy foods, such as bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta (choose wholegrain).

You should eat various sources of protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, beans, or other non-dairy sources of protein, and some milk and dairy foods.

Only eat small amounts of food and drinks that are high in fat and sugar.

Reduce sugar to prevent tooth decay

Limiting the amount of sugar you eat and drink is important to prevent tooth decay.

A lot of the sugars we eat, and drink are in the food and drinks we have every day. These includes:

  • sweets, chocolate, cakes, and biscuits
  • sugary drinks, including soft drinks, fizzy drinks, sports drinks, milky drinks with added sugar, and alcohol
  • fruit juice, including unsweetened fresh fruit juice and smoothies
  • buns, pastries, and fruit pies
  • sponge puddings and other puddings
  • table sugar added to food or drinks, such as tea
  • sugary breakfast cereals
  • jams, marmalades, honey, and syrups
  • ice cream and sorbets
  • dried fruit or fruit in syrup
  • syrups and sweet sauces

Stick to one glass for fruit juice or smoothie a day

Sugars occur naturally in foods such as fruit and milk, but we do not need to cut down on these types of sugars.

But when the fruit is juiced or blended, as in smoothies, the sugars are released from the structure of the fruit.

Once released, these sugars can damage your teeth, so it is best to drink fruit juice or smoothies at mealtimes.

Your combined total of drinks from fruit juice, vegetable juice, and smoothies should not be more than 150ml a day, which is a small glass.

The sugars found naturally in whole fruit and vegetables are less likely to cause tooth decay because the sugar is contained within the structure of the fruit.

How smoking damage teeth

Smoking can stain your teeth yellow, cause bad breath, and increases your risk of gum disease, as well as causing many other serious health problems.

Alcohol and oral health

Alcohol can erode the outer surface of the teeth, leading to a loss of enamel. If this happens, you may need to go to the dentist for a filling.

Drinking too much has also been linked to an increased risk of developing mouth cancer.

The most important risk factors for mouth cancer are the combined effect of smoking and drinking alcohol.

Foods and drinks can stain your teeth

Wine, cigarette smoke, tea, and coffee are all teeth-staining culprits. Keep them to a minimum to stop your teeth from becoming stained.

Your dentist or hygienist can give your teeth a professional clean, which may help reduce the staining.

Taking care of your teeth

  • Brush at least twice a day. The best time to brush teeth is after meals. Choose a toothbrush with a small head for better access to back teeth. Soft bristles are kinder on your gums.
  • Use fluoridated toothpaste. Fluoride helps to harden tooth enamel and reduces your risk of decay.
  • Brush thoroughly. Tooth brushing should take between two and three minutes.
  • Floss your teeth daily. Use a slow and gentle sawing motion.
  • Toothbrushes should be changes 3 to 4 times a year.
  • Protect your teeth from injury. Wear a mouthguards or full-face helmet when participating in sport.
  • Avoid using your teeth for anything other than chewing food. If you use them to crack nuts, remove bottle tops or rip open packaging, you risk chipping or even breaking your teeth.
  • See your dentist for regular check-ups. You should also visit your dentist if you have a dental problem such as a toothache or bleeding gums.

This information is intended to promote understand and knowledge about general oral health teeth topics. It is not intended to replace professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always ask your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions your may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.