Many foods can affect the enamel of your teeth. That in itself is not a problem. Your teeth will naturally recover over time. Saliva plays an important role in this. Saliva neutralizes acid and thus has a protective effect. If you eat too often in one day, your teeth will not have enough chance to recover. That is why it is detrimental to your teeth if you eat or drink certain drinks throughout the day.

Almost all our food and drinks contain sugars and starch. Dental plaque consists of bacteria and products of bacteria. They convert sugars and starches in the mouth into acids. Those acids cause cavities in your teeth. Sugars are added to many foods, such as sweets, biscuits and soft drinks. But there are also naturally sugars in products, for example in fruit. Starch is in potatoes, pasta, bread, crackers and legumes. If you often consume foods containing sugar and starch, you run a greater risk of cavities in your teeth.

In addition to sugars that cause cavities, soft drinks, fruit juices, yoghurt drinks and wine also contain acids. You can barely taste the acid. The sugar dominates the sour taste. Acids attack your tooth enamel. This wears out your teeth. This form of wear is called dental erosion. Dental erosion is an insidious process that is not easy to reverse. It's not just about how many acidic products you eat and drink. The more often you do this and the longer you keep acidic products in your mouth, the greater the risk of dental erosion. The way you eat and drink also has an effect. When tooth erosion is not controlled, acids can dissolve the tooth enamel and then even the exposed dentine. Water, coffee and regular tea without sugar are not harmful to your teeth.

The chance of cavities is small when you eat or drink three main meals a day and a maximum of four times something in between. Then your teeth will have a sufficient chance to recover.

Sugar-free light products such as sweeteners for coffee or light drinks contain sugar traps. These products do not cause cavities. Light drinks do contain as much acid as regular soft drinks. The risk of wear and tear on your teeth due to acid (dental erosion) is therefore the same size for light soft drinks as for regular soft drinks.

Do not eat or drink too often products containing acids. Do not take acid an hour before brushing your teeth. The acid affects the tooth enamel. The brush and toothpaste have an abrasive effect. If you brush your teeth immediately after eating or drinking acid, you can easily brush away the tooth enamel. Then your teeth will wear out faster. This also applies if you brush your teeth immediately after vomiting. Then give your teeth time to recover. Read more about dental erosion.

The number of snacks has the most influence on the damage to your teeth. Of course you also know that a piece of fruit is better than liquorice, candies or other sticky sweets. Food that you have to chew well, such as brown sandwiches, raw vegetables and fruit, also ensures that you stimulate saliva formation. Don't forget that many drinks are also part of the snacks. They can cause cavities and tooth wear.

An apple or other (fresh) fruit is a sensible snack, even if it contains sugar. Fruit is not sticky and is usually eaten in one go. Moreover, fruit is healthy.

When you chew gum, you activate the production of protective saliva. Most types of chewing gum contain sugar substitutes. Look at the packaging and choose a sugar-free variant. Xylitol is a natural sweetener. Xylifresh chewing gum with 100% xylitol helps prevent dental plaque and is recommended by the Ivory Cross.

Good oral hygiene keeps your teeth, molars and gums healthy. Therefore, brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. You cannot properly clean the spaces between teeth with the toothbrush alone. Therefore, on the advice of your practitioner, use brushes, dental floss or toothpicks daily.

Tips for healthy teeth

• Choose three main meals a day, so you have less need for snacks.
• Use something in between up to four times a day.
• Eat acidic fruit no more than once or twice a day.
• Drink soda and other acidic drinks in moderation.
• Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
• Use interdental brushes, dental floss or toothpicks daily to clean the spaces between your teeth.

Do you have any questions? Then contact your dentist or dental hygienist.