A well-balanced diet is the most important requirement for healthy living and healthy teeth and gums. To help you understand what’s good for you and what’s not, we bring you some practical, helpful tips.

• Drink plenty of still water instead of ?zzy drinks and sugary juices, as they are acidic and cause erosion of the teeth. Milkshakes and ‘smoothies’ are a great alternative to carbonated drinks.
• Try and cut down on the amount of starchy, sugary foods you eat. These increase the amount of plaque produced in the mouth, which decays teeth. Be aware that sweets and re?ned sugar are the worst culprits as they’re so readily digested by oral bacteria; ice cream is a delicious alternative.
• Why not give cereal bars and ‘nutrigrains’ a try? They are lower in sugar and can be really satisfying.
• Eat plenty of oranges and grapefruits for Vitamin C; it promotes healthy teeth and gums, and aids the absorption of iron. Interestingly, chewable Vitamin C can cause enamel loss from teeth.
• Strawberries packed with Vitamin C, iodine and pectin are not just delicious, but also kind on your teeth because they are less acidic.
• Eggs are great for maintaining healthy teeth because they don’t just contain beta carotene, but also zinc, iron and Vitamin A.
• Soya milk, yogurts and cheeses, soya beans and soya ?our all help preserve calcium in the body, which helps maintain strong bones. Making a soya milkshake with strawberries is a perfect drink for healthy teeth.
• Another great way to boost your calcium intake is to eat salmon, prawns or even sardines!
• Oily ?sh is also important in your diet because it contains Vitamin D, which helps our bones and teeth absorb calcium. Without Vitamin D you only absorb 10% of your calcium intake; oily ?sh increases the absorption to 90%.
• Broccoli is amongst the healthiest food in existence. It ?ghts bone loss, boosts the immune system and contains more calcium than any other vegetable.
• Go bananas! Have a banana rather than a handful of sweets and always aim to eat ?ve pieces of fruit or vegetable a day.

Preventive Measures

1. Brush twice a day. Brushing cleans your teeth and gums effectively and removes plaque from the surface of the teeth.
2. Always choose a soft bristled tooth brush and brush in small circular motions. Brush your gums too.
3. Change your brush every 3 – 4 months
4. Floss – Floss regularly. Brushing is not enough flossing cleans areas where brush cannot reach (between teeth and gum line. If your gums bleed or feel tender do not worry it is a sign of healing.
5. Eat a balanced diet and nutrition is imperative to prevent dental problems. Please refer do dental diet for more details.
6. Do not smoke. It damages your enamel and discolours your teeth. It can also lead to serious problems like oral cancer.
7. Bruxism commonly known as teeth grinding damages your teeth structure and affect your bite. Visit your dentist to diagnose the signs of bruxism.
8. Restore damaged, broken & chipped teeth and prevents further problems associated with these conditions.
9. Wear a mouth guard when you are actively involved in outdoor sport