To
prevent tooth decay, you should follow a few additional guidelines to keep the
amount of acid created by the bacteria on your teeth to a minimum. Here are
some tips:
1. Limit between-meal snacking to
reduce the amount of time your teeth are exposed to acid. If you snack, choose
foods that are not fermentable carbohydrates.
o Best choices — Cheese, chicken or other
meats, nuts or milk. These foods may actually help protect tooth enamel by
counteracting acidity or by providing the calcium and phosphorus needed to
remineralize teeth.
o Moderate choices — Firm fruits like apples and
pears and vegetables. Although firm fruits contain natural sugars, they have a
high water content that dilutes the effects of the sugars and they stimulate
the flow of saliva, which has antibacterial factors and helps protect against
decay. Vegetables do not contain enough carbohydrates to be dangerous.
o Worst choices — Candy, cookies, cakes, crackers,
breads, muffins, potato chips, french fries, bananas, raisins and other dried
fruits. These foods provide a source of sugar for certain bacteria on the teeth
to produce acid. The problem can be worse if the foods stick to or get caught
between teeth.
2. Limit the amount of soft drinks
or any other sugar-containing drinks, including coffee or tea with added sugar,
cocoa and lemonade. Fruit juices contain natural sugars that can also cause
decay. Limit the amount of time you take to drink any of these drinks and avoid
sipping them throughout the day.
o Better choices — Unsweetened tea, milk and
water, especially fluoridated water. Tea also has fluoride, which can
strengthen tooth enamel and milk can also help deter decay. Water helps flush
away food debris and can dilute the sugar acids.
3. Avoid sucking on hard candies or
mints, even the tiny ones. They have enough sugar to increase the acid produced
by bacteria to decay levels. If you need a mint, use the sugarless varieties.
4. Very acidic foods (such as citrus
fruits) can make the mouth more acidic and may contribute to tooth
demineralization and erosion. The effects of acid exposure are cumulative, so
every little bit counts.
5. Brush your teeth after eating to
remove the plaque bacteria that create the destructive acids. If you cannot
brush after every meal, brush at least twice a day to thoroughly remove all
plaque bacteria.
There is no language or colour for the smile because everyone smiles in
the same language!
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