Acidic foods and drinks can be just as harmful to your teeth. The acid erodes the enamel, exposing the dentine underneath. This can make the teeth sensitive and unslightly.

A diet that is rich in vitamins, minerals and fresh produce can help to prevent gum disease. Gum disease can lead to tooth loss and cause bad breath. The diagram below is a good example of what you should eat as part of a healthy and balanced diet.

Question:
What is tooth decay?
Answer:
Tooth decay damages your teeth and leads to fillings or even extractions. Decay happens when sugar reacts with the bacteria in plaque. This forms the acids that attack the teeth and destroy the enamel. After this happens many times, the tooth enamel may break down forming a hole or ‘cavity’ into the dentine. The tooth can then decay more quickly.

Question:
What foods can cause decay?
Answer:
All sugars can cause decay. Sugar can come in many forms, for example: sucrose, fructose and glucose are just three types. These sugars can all damage your teeth.

Many processed foods have sugar in them, and the higher up it appears in the list of ingredients, the more sugar there is in the product. Always read the list of ingredients on the labels when you are food shopping.

When you are reading the labels remember that ‘no added sugar’ does not necessarily mean that the product is sugar free. It simply means that no extra sugar has been added. These products may contain sugars such as those listed above, or the sugars may be listed as ‘carbohydrates’. Ask your dentist if you are unsure.

Question:
Can food and drink cause erosion?
Answer:
Acidic food and drinks can cause decay. Listed below are the ‘pH values’ of some food and drinks. The lower the pH number; the more acidic the product. Anything with a pH value lower than 5.5 may cause tooth decay. ‘Alkalies’ have a high pH number and neutralise the acid effects of sugars. PH 7 is the middle figure between acid and alkali.

- mineral water (still) pH 7.6
- milk pH 6.9
- cheddar cheese pH 5.9
- lager pH 4.4
- orange juice pH 3.8
- grapefruit pH 3.3
- pickles pH 3.2
- cola pH 2.5
- red wine pH 2.5
- vinegar pH 2.0

Question:
Can I eat snacks?
Answer:
It is better for your teeth and general health if you eat 3 meals a day instead of having 7 to 10 snack attacks. If you do need to snack between meals, choose foods that do not contain sugar. Fruit does contain acids, which can erode your teeth. However, this is only damaging to your teeth if you eat an unusually large amount.

If you do eat fruit as a snack, try to eat something alkaline such as cheese afterwards. Savoury snacks are better, such as:

- cheese
- raw vegetables
- nuts
- breadsticks.

Question:
Can I eat sweets?
Answer:
The main point to remember is that it is not the amount of sugar you eat or drink, but how often you do it. Sweet foods are allowed, but it is important to keep them to mealtimes.

To help reduce tooth decay, cut down on how often you have sugary snacks and drinks and try to sugar-free varieties confectionery and chewing gum containing Xylitol may help to reduce tooth decay.

Sugary foods can also contribute to a range of health problems including heart disease and being overweight.

Question:
What should I drink?
Answer:
Still water and milk are good choices. It is better for your teeth if you drink fruit juices at meal times. If you are drinking them between meals, try diluting them with water.

Diluted sugar-free squashes are the safest alternative to water and milk. If you make squash or cordial, be sure that the drink is diluted 1 part cordial to 10 parts water. Some soft drinks contain sweeteners, which are not suitable for young children – ask your dentist or health visitor if you are not sure.

Fizzy drinks can increase the risk of dental problems. The sugar can cause decay and the acid in both normal and diet drinks can dissolve the enamel on the teeth. The risk is higher when you have these drinks between meals.

Question:
Should I brush my teeth after every meal?
Answer:
It is important that you brush twice a day with a toothpaste containing fluoride. The best times are before breakfast and last thing at night before you go to bed.

Eating and drinking naturally weakens the enamel on your teeth, and brushing straight afterwards can cause tiny particles of enamel to be brushed away. It is best not to brush your teeth until at least one hour after eating.

It is especially important to brush before bed. This is because the flow of saliva, which is the mouth’s own cleaning system, slows down during the night and this leaves the mouth more at risk from decay.

Question:
Does chewing gum help?
Answer:
Chewing gum makes your mouth produce more saliva, which helps to cancel out the acid in your mouth after eating or drinking. It has been proven that using sugar-free chewing gum after meals can prevent tooth decay. However, it is important to use only sugar-free gum, as ordinary chewing gum contains sugar and therefore may damage your teeth.

“The idea of a toothbrush is to remove plaque and to stimulate the gums,” explains John Ictech-Cassis, DDS, DMD, clinical associate professor at the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. “Most toothbrushes will keep the teeth clean if you know how to use them.”

Manual Toothbrushes: A Classic Route to Good Dental Care

“There are many advantages to the manual toothbrush,” says Dr. Ictech-Cassis. “We’ve been using this toothbrush for many years. It has a good track record.” Advantages include:

* Cost and availability. “It’s inexpensive and accessible,” says Ictech-Cassis. “This is the toothbrush that the majority of dentists give away.” Electric toothbrushes may simply be too expensive for many people, so it’s nice to know that you can do a great job brushing with a manual toothbrush.
* Easy to travel with. “It’s easy to take a manual toothbrush with you when you travel. It’s not bulky like an electric toothbrush,” says Ictech-Cassis. You’ll be less likely to let your good dental care habits lapse on vacation with a toothbrush that you can easily bring along, he adds.
* Puts less pressure on teeth and gums. “You can feel [how much pressure you're using] as you grasp the toothbrush,” Ictech-Cassis notes. “This helps you to avoid putting too much pressure on your teeth. With an electrical model you can’t feel that as well.” Placing too much pressure on your teeth can wear away at the tooth enamel, causing pain, sensitivity, and an increased risk of tooth decay.
* Good for kids. Even young children can use manual brushes safely and effectively once they’ve learned how, Ictech-Cassis points out.

Electric Toothbrushes: Recommended in Some Cases

Nevertheless, Ictech-Cassis admits that there are some situations where an electric toothbrush has clear advantages. “We recommend it for people who can’t do a good job with a manual toothbrush,” he says. For older people or people who have less manual dexterity, like those who suffer from arthritis, the electric toothbrush may clean more effectively, says Ictech-Cassis.

How to Choose an Electric Toothbrush

Today, electric toothbrushes are outfitted with a variety of features. Though they make nice additions, pressure sensors that tell you if you’re brushing too hard or timers that indicate when you’ve brushed long enough don’t directly affect how well the toothbrush actually cleans your teeth.

Electric toothbrushes “try to stimulate the gums and teeth with different configurations of the bristles,” Ictech-Cassis says. “Even the most inexpensive electric models will keep your teeth clean, but you may have to move them a little more to reach the difficult areas.”

Although almost any toothbrush can do an effective job, research suggests there is one electronic toothbrush bristle configuration that seems to be better at removing plaque and preventing gum disease. Electric toothbrushes with bristles that rotate together in one direction, and then switch and rotate in the opposite direction — a process known as rotating-oscillating — appear to be more effective than manual brushes and other electric brushes that spin in only one direction. If you do opt for an electronic toothbrush, a model with rotating-oscillating bristles is probably your best bet.

How Often Should You Get a New Toothbrush?

Whether you choose a manual or an electric toothbrush, choose one with soft bristles and be sure to change the bristles on the electric brush when they become worn down. “Bristles are very important,” Ictech-Cassis says. “Brushes need to be replaced every three months or when the bristles are no longer straight and firm. In that condition, they will not clean the teeth as well as they should.”

View our whitening range

‘Ugly Betty’ may have recently gotten the axe but it looks as if the central character will finally get rid of her braces for the end of the fourth and final season.

The Daily Mail reports that America Ferrera, who plays the title character Betty Suarez, was pictured filming scenes in New York yesterday without her trademark braces. The scenes which are believed to be set in London saw Ferrara flashing a glorious all-white smile.

The laser light system only needs to be used for on average 30 minutes each day to see the great results. Whilst with other over the counter teeth whitening kits you can use at home the solution that is applied to the teeth to make them white again needs to remain on for a number of hours.

Once the light comes into contact with the gel it speeds up the process that causes stains to be removed and makes your teeth white once more, like waxing a car, the embedded stains are instantly removed.

Try it, you might like it