Five surprising items of food and drink that are bad for your teeth

We all know that a healthy diet is important for our overall well-being as well as our oral health. But your teeth are under acid attack for approximately an hour every time  you eat or drink something sugary. Acidic foods as well as drinks such as wine can also result in decay. The general advice is to cut down on sugary foods and drinks and have them with your meal.

Dr Uchenna Okoye, clinical director of London Smiling Dental Group and Oral-B’s smile director, lists the worst offenders:

Sports drink
“Usually sipped, meaning they are regularly swished around the mouth and are often full of sugar for plaque-causing bacteria to feed on and also contain acids that can damage our enamel.”

 

Beetroot
“One of the worst offenders for staining. Reduce this by drinking water or milk after eating it.”

Smoothies
“The high level of naturally occurring sugar and its thick consistency mean drinking one is heaven for bacteria which can lead to gum problems. They also contain a lot of fruit acids which can damage our enamel.”

Citrus fruits
“Oranges, grapefruits, etc are all very acidic, so avoid brushing your teeth 30 minutes after eating them to reduce causing enamel erosion.” [The British Dental Foundation recommends not brushing your teeth until at least one hour after eating.]

Hot drinks
It’s not just cold food that can cause teeth to be sensitive, hot drinks also cause the fluids in the holes in the dentin to expand and contract creating sensitivity. 

By Daralyn Danns

Perfecting your smile part one

Finding a good dentist is hard. If you want to turn to cosmetic dentistry to improve your appearance, then you have to do plenty of research.

Dr Uchenna Okoye

According to Dr Uchenna Okoye, who qualified at the highly-respected Guy’s Hospital London, and is now clinical director of London Smiling Dental Group as well as Oral-B’s smile director, word of mouth is always the best way to find recommendations. She also advises ensuring that your dentist is a member of the BACD (British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry) or AACD (American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry).

There are plenty of options on offer to whiten, straighten, or repair your teeth. Here, over the next two posts, is a look at the most common.

Whitening treatments

How many of us have hankered after gleaming white teeth? Firstly, you have to consider your colouring, not everyone suits bright, white teeth, it doesn’t look natural. It is all too tempting to be seduced by pictures of celebs with perfect smiles but you need to be careful before undergoing any whitening treatment.

“Don't be fooled by cheap offers, there is always a reason,” says Dr Okoye. “At the end of the day you need to invest time and money to stay safe, otherwise it is best not to do it.

“It should only be done by a dentist or a hygienist under dentist supervision. Anyone else doing it is illegal and dangerous. The General Dental Council is actually prosecuting people as we speak.”

By Daralyn Danns