How important is my diet in preventing and treating dental caries?

Being careful about how often you have sugar in your food and drinks is the best way to prevent and treat dental caries.

How often you have sugary food and drinks is more important than how much sugar you have in your food and drinks.

Other ways you may help prevent dental caries with your diet are:

• Rinse your mouth with water after having sugary food or drink
• Have a small amount of cheese after sugary food or drink. This will help to neutralize the acid produced by oral bacteria.
• Using sugarless chewing gum may help protect your teeth by stimulating extra saliva. Saliva is very important in protecting your teeth from decay.
• Do not put any sugar or other sweeteners in babies’ bottles.
• Remember the drying effect of excess caffeine.
• Remember that smoking changes the saliva to a more harmful consistency.