Dentist

• Do not eat all day long: a maximum of 7 eating and drinking occasions per day: 3 main meals and 4 snacks in between meals
• Take the time to eat together (a satiated feeling can then develop slowly)
• Eat 200 grams of vegetables and 2 pieces of fruit a day
• Drink soft drinks and other acidic beverages in moderation (including fruit juices)
• Eat a variety of foods
• Use saturated fats sparingly (these are fats that are not liquid at room temperature) and choose unsaturated or polyunsaturated fats such as olive oil whenever possible
• Bread, legumes, potatoes, rice, pasta and cereal products contain a lot of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibres. However, the level of carbohydrate intake is sometimes under discussion these days
• Maintain a healthy weight. Achieve this through a combination of a healthy diet and sufficient exercise
• Use salt sparingly
• Drink a lot, but be moderate with alcohol
• Handle your food hygienically and safely and prevent cross-contamination
• Read what it says on the packaging
• Smoking is known to reduce blood flow to the gums, thereby reducing oral defences. This makes you more likely to suffer from chronic gingivitis

• Give your child savoury rather than sweet things (preferably no sweets, cakes and biscuits, soft drinks)
• Do not give your child too many acidic drinks (soft drinks and fruit juices)
• Do not allow your child to get used to sweets too much and do not add sugar to food and drinks
• Opt for water rather than sweet drinks
• Try to get your child to drink sweet drinks in one go
• Tips for a good choice as a snack: cracker, gingerbread, rice cakes, currant bun, muesli, trail mix, nuts, fruit or a regular sandwich. Or carrot, tomato, cucumber, radish. Finishing with sugar-free gum is smart
• Diet soft drinks and sugar-free gum are not cariogenic (do not induce cavities). They contain sugar substitutes. However, too many diet soft drinks can cause erosion and chewing gum too often can cause jaw joint discomfort and tooth wear

Sugary foods are the main cause of tooth decay, i.e. getting cavities or caries. Everyone has bacteria in the mouth and that is actually a good thing. They provide defences in your mouth; the good bacteria make it less likely for harmful bacteria to gain the upper hand. However, when certain bacteria sit undisturbed in the mouth for a long time, a rough white layer forms on the teeth; this is called plaque. If plaque is given a chance to develop for several days, sugars and other carbohydrates are converted into acids, which can cause cavities.

Brushing twice daily and using a tooth pick or floss once daily prevents cavities. Of course, cavities usually occur in the hard-to-brush areas, where plaque can grow undisturbed for extended periods of time. Such as between the molars and in deeper grooves.

Plaque left unbrushed for long periods of time can also cause gum disease(gingivitis). This is usually red and bleeds easily when touched lightly. If plaque remains even longer, it slowly calcifies into tartar under the influence of saliva. This (hardened) population of bacteria can no longer be removed by brushing or using a toothpick. Tartar can cause inflamed gums and eventually bone loss around teeth. This gum disease is called periodontitis. You can read more about this under the heading ‘dental hygienist’.

Acid in food and drink, or what comes back from the stomach (reflux), can also cause wear on tooth enamel. This is called tooth erosion. The tooth enamel then dissolves (decalcifies or demineralises). It is important to allow the teeth to recover for a while after a meal or drink: saliva neutralises the acid and helps to protect the teeth. Therefore, do not brush your teeth for the first hour after eating acidic products. But also do not brush your teeth an hour before eating acidic products. This is because there is always a protein-rich layer (pellicle) on your teeth that protects against erosion. Immediately after brushing, that layer is gone for a while and your teeth are so clean that they are temporarily more susceptible to erosion. In the hours after brushing, this protein-rich layer re-forms. Erosion is a growing problem. Soft drinks and fruit juices are erosive. Frequency is important, as is whether you drink quickly or not (better to drink it all at once). Patients in whom erosion has played a role for several years may have developed so much tooth wear that the teeth need to be restored.