How to keep your smile healthy and bright

As you know, brushing your teeth several times a day, eating a balanced diet and visiting your dentist at least once a year are essential to keep your teeth strong and healthy.

Although sugar has a reputation as the number one enemy of teeth, other substances stain the enamel and damage oral health. It’s important to understand what these products do, eat them in moderation and brush your teeth whenever you do if you want a beautiful smile.

Ten threats to your smile

1. Fizzy and energy drinks: soft drinks and energy drinks are packed with refined sugar and have an acid pH (between 1.5 and 3), which cause enamel and dentine erosion and can cause sensitive teeth.
2. Black tea and coffee: Heavy consumption (more than 3 cups a day) can darken the teeth. This is because the tannins in tea and the chromogens in coffee cause permanent staining and turn teeth yellow.
3. Poor dental hygiene: Choose a good brush, replace it often and use dental floss to ensure good dental hygiene. Remember to brush your teeth after every meal.
4. Tooth grinding: Grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw, also known as bruxism, damages tooth enamel. Since this is an involuntary, the best course of action is to wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth from the pressure.
5. Tooth whitening: This is an abrasive process that removes a thin outer layer from the teeth, particularly when hydrogen peroxide is used. High concentrations of this compound can cause sensitivity and irritation. Get professional advice if you have any questions.
6. Mouthwash: Certain types of mouthwash contain chlorhexidine, a substance prescribed to treat gum inflammation which, if used long term, stains the teeth.
7. Alcohol: The tannin in wine can stain the teeth, cause dry mouth and hypersensitivity because of the acid pH (red wine, 3-4 and white wine 2.4). Heavy drinking also weakens the immune response to infection and may increase the risk of periodonatal disease (dental bone loss).
8. Smoking: Nicotine and tar in cigarette smoke damage the enamel, stain the tooth surface, cause bad breath and increase the risk of caries and tartar.

Did you know that eating apples cleans the teeth and produces saliva, neutralising harmful acids and reducing the risk of tooth decay?