Tips and tricks
Brushing should be part of the routine, not something to negotiate.
- Fruit juices should not be sipped throughout the day; better a glass of juice with a meal. Juices are not thirst-quenchers: water and unsweetened fruit or herbal tea are ideal
- After acidic food it is best to wait half an hour before brushing, until the acid that weakens the tooth surface has been diluted and caught by the saliva. If mornings have to be quick, it can make sense to brush before breakfast instead.
- Restraint with sticky sweets that cling to the teeth for a long time.
- Watch out for hidden sugar, in ketchup for example.
- Foods that have to be chewed more stimulate the flow of saliva. Saliva neutralises the acid in the mouth and rinses the teeth.
- Milk and dairy products are good for the teeth. Eating cheese in particular protects them: the combination of the protein casein and the minerals calcium and phosphate strengthens the enamel. Foods containing fluoride actively contribute to preventing caries. Fluorides strengthen the redeposition of minerals in the enamel and make it less sensitive to acids.