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How to eat for healthy teeth

Eat your way to good teeth - any dentist worth his or her salt will tell you that there are certain foods that should be avoided if you want to protect your teeth.

Cut down on food and drink containing sugar because they accelerate tooth decay. If you want, you can substitute with other foods such as cheese, nuts and vegetables. For people with a sweet tooth, fruit is a better choice but beware, fruit also contains sugar that can attack your teeth, so don't go overboard.

Avoid acidic food and drink like citrus fruit juices and fizzy drinks like cola - these can be especially harmful if taken in large amounts so moderation is the key. It's helpful if you can limit acidic food and drink to mealtimes only.

Drink fizzy drinks through a straw. This directs the flow of liquid to the back of the throat, minimizing contact with your teeth.

Give your teeth a rest!

Try not to snack between meals, if you do, use a mouth wash to help reduce the build up of plaque, it also rinses out the food debris caught between the teeth.

Don't brush your teeth for at least an hour after eating or drinking. This gives the mineral content in your teeth the chance to replenish.

Remember that some alcoholic drinks contain high levels of sugar and mixed drinks may contain acids.

If you drink wine in moderation it's interesting to note that a recent study (source: www.news-medical.net) showed that both red and white wine reduced certain harmful bacteria in the mouth, thus reducing the build up of plaque. Studies are ongoing and it may be in future that grape extract will be added to the production of mouth wash.

Chew sugar-free gum, it stimulates saliva which can help to prevent tooth decay.

And don't forget - visit your dentist regularly.

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