15 Things Your Dentist Wants You To Do Differently

There are some surprising things you should be doing to keep teeth healthy.

- Nicola Down

1 Watch Out For Fruit Teas

They might appear healthy, but did you know that some fruit teas could be three times more damaging to teeth than orange juice? That’s the finding of research by the University of Bristol Dental School, which found the acid levels of lemon, raspberry and black currant teas were particularly damaging to enamel, the protective layer of your teeth. ‘Drink a glass of water after fruit tea to rinse away acids,’ says Dr Uchenna Okoye, clinical director of London Smiling Dental Group (londonsmiling.com).

2 Anti-Age Your Gums

‘Your gums may recede (shrink back) as you get older, making your teeth sensitive,’ says Dr Nigel Carter, of the Oral Health Foundation (dentalhealth.org). To help keep gums healthy, don’t scrub up and down when you brush – use soft, circular motions instead. And watch out for gum disease, caused by a build-up of plaque. Signs include receding gums, blood when brushing, loose teeth and bad breath. ‘If plaque isn’t removed, the gum disease will affect the bone under the gums and this could make your teeth loose,’ warns Dr Carter.

3 Sidestep a ‘Prosecco Smile’

‘The bubbles in sparkling wine are caused by carbon dioxide, which is acidic,’ says Dr Okoye. Although this means all sparkling wines can contribute to enamel erosion, Prosecco is generally worse for your teeth than Champagne or Spanish cava because it often contains more sugar. The occasional glass of bubbly is unlikely to cause any damage, but pairing it with something alkaline like a cube of cheese will help to neutralise the acid.

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