Almost two thirds of us try to choose the “healthier” option when we’re eating and drinking – picking cereal bars instead of chocolate, for instance, or opting for fizzy citrus waters rather than sugary sodas. But the truth is that many of our everyday food choices – including the ostensibly better ones – can end up contributing to teeth and gum issues.
“What you eat, when you eat it, and whether you effectively clean away any debris makes a big difference in how much plaque builds up in your mouth,” says Elaine Tilling, clinical education and product manager at TePe, a brand that specialises in products that help keep mouths healthy. “A buildup of plaque can lead to tooth decay, and the bacteria from it can also cause gum disease.”
Many of us will get gum disease at some point in our lives and it can cause a whole heap of problems including red, swollen and bleeding gums. Left untreated, it can cause your gums to recede from your teeth and destroy the protective tissues that hold teeth in place – in some cases contributing to tooth loss.
Sweet harmony
The kingpin of a healthy smile is a healthy diet. “A wide, balanced diet that contains all the colours of the rainbow will give you all the nutrients you need to keep your teeth and gums healthy,” says Tilling.
There are no prizes for guessing that sugar isn’t beneficial, but you may be surprised to hear that “healthier” versions can be just as troublesome.
“Sugar is sugar,” says Tilling. “It doesn’t matter if it’s white, brown, honey, agave, maple syrup or fruit sugar – all sugars are equal, and the bacteria that feeds on the sugar in your mouth can cause plaque that forms on your teeth and under gums.” After you eat sugar, acid is produced by the plaque in the mouth, which attacks the enamel, your teeth’s protective coating.
Hidden sources
What makes it tricky is that sugar isn’t always easy to spot. The word sugar might not be on the ingredients list of a packaged food, it might even say “no added sugar” on the label, but the sugar may be labelled in a different way. The way to spot hidden sugar sources is to know that they are often listed as syrups or end in -ose (for example, fructose, sucrose, glucose, dextrose), and the higher up they are on the ingredients list, the larger the amount a product contains.
The advice from the NHS is that you shouldn’t eat more than 30g a day of these added sugars, the equivalent of seven sugar cubes. It’s also worth knowing that a high-sugar food is classified as containing more than 22.5g per 100g, and a low-sugar food contains less than 5g per 100g.
However, although it’s smart to be mindful of sugar, particularly added sugars, this doesn’t mean you need to shun all your favourite foods. “If you want to have chocolate occasionally, have it, but ideally enjoy it after a meal when more saliva is being produced,” says Tilling. “This is because saliva neutralises the acids on the tooth’s surfaces that occur when sugar-containing foods are consumed.”
The same goes for dried fruit such as raisins, dates and apricots. These contain nutrients, but they’re still high in sugar and can stick to your teeth, so are best enjoyed at mealtimes rather than as a snack.
If food does get stuck in your teeth? Reach for an interdental brush, which removes stubborn food debris that can make bacteria, tooth decay and gum disease more likely.
Watch the graze
And it’s not just what you eat that matters, but when you eat it.
“Grazing on sugary snacks throughout the day means your teeth are under constant attack – you’re essentially keeping them in a sugar bath,” says Tilling. “When you have something sweet, within 30-40 minutes your saliva is working hard to neutralise the acidity, but it can’t do that if you’re always snacking.”
So, if you can, stick to three meals a day, and if you must snack, eat the food in one go rather than picking at it for prolonged periods, so the saliva in your mouth can work its magic.
Smile saviours
Another trick is to have a piece of cheese after eating something sweet, as the cheese helps to counteract the acidity, bringing the mouth’s pH levels up to alkaline.
Chewing foods such as fruit, vegetables and sugar-free gum after meals stimulates saliva flow and could also be beneficial to your oral health. “Fibre-rich foods that require a lot of crunching may have a mechanical effect – almost like a natural toothbrush – on the teeth,” says Tilling. “Try celery, carrots, peppers, or radish, which are all high in nutrients but low in sugar.”
Healthy hydrators
When it comes to drinks, it’s not just sugary soda you need to watch out for. Sugar-free fizzy drinks can be more problematic than flat drinks because the dioxide in the bubbles is acidic, which can cause erosion. Meanwhile, fruit juices and smoothies are high in enamel-damaging sugars and acids.
Having these drinks occasionally with a meal is your best bet. “Drinking through a straw also helps the drink bypass your teeth,” says Tilling.
Mind the gap
The best way to have your cake and eat it is to remember that diligent brushing (think twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste) as well as regular dentist checkups is non-negotiable.
However, it’s worth knowing that brushing cleans only up to 60% of a tooth’s surfaces. The secret to getting to the other parts is to use an interdental brush that scrapes away the debris and bacteria from in between your teeth and under your gum line, helping to reduce plaque and your chances of gum disease.
So keep an interdental brush in your kitchen, bathroom, at work, in the car, and in your bag, and you can keep your teeth and gums clean, fresh and happy, whatever you’ve been eating. Now, that’s something to smile about.
For more information, visit tepe.com/uk/sustainable-idb
