- Spending more time at home means we have constant access to food. Avoid sugary snacks and drinks in-between meals if possible. Crackers and cheese, nuts (assuming no allergies) and vegetables like cucumber or carrot sticks are healthy alternatives.
- Drinking water, milk, tea or coffee (without sugar, or with a sweetener) are better than fizzy drinks, fruit juice, squash or smoothies in-between meals. If you do occasionally drink juice, have a no added sugar variety and dilute with water. Drinking through a straw will limit the damage to your teeth.
- Eat healthy and balanced meals at mealtimes as this will reduce the need for snacking. If you want to eat cakes, biscuits, chocolate or sweets, eat these straight after your meal so that they cause less damage to your teeth. Rinse your mouth with water afterwards to get rid of any food debris. This is particularly important if you wear dentures.
- Snacking on fruit and drinking acidic drinks in-between meals also leads to erosive tooth wear which results in the outer coating of your teeth (called enamel) being dissolved by excessive acid in your mouth. Fruits like oranges, pineapples, apples, grapes, strawberries and raspberries are acidic and contain fruit sugar which can harm your teeth. Acidic drinks include fizzy water, fruit juice, squash (including no added sugar squash), smoothies and fizzy drinks (including diet drinks); these are highly acidic and should be avoided in-between meals.
- After a meal or a snack, chew some sugar free gum or eat a piece of cheese to neutralise the acid in your mouth. Alternatively, you can rinse your mouth with water or a non alcoholic fluoride mouthwash.
- For those fasting during Ramadhan, be sure to drink plenty of water between fasts, and reduce the amount of salty foods and caffeine as these can cause dehydration.
- If you suffer from a dry mouth, there may be several reasons for this. It is important that you keep your mouth clean and moist to prevent problems such as tooth decay and gum disease in the long term. Here are some tips to help you:
- Drink lots of water to keep hydrated; avoid sugary or acidic drinks.
- You can chew sugar free mint flavoured gum or eat a piece of cheese to encourage saliva flow.
- Ensure you use a fluoride toothpaste twice daily to brush your teeth. It is very important to brush your teeth before going to sleep. You should wait 30 minutes after eating to brush your teeth to protect the enamel.
If you would like any further advice please contact the Coronavirus Support Team.
