Q Does the food I eat at mealtimes really have an impact on the state of my teeth?

A The answer in a nutshell is, yes. Personally, I would say it is as important as what you eat in between meals, too.

Your teeth are an important part of your physical make-up and will only be in the best condition if you give your body the right amount of nutrients. The best way to do that is by ensuring you’re following a well-maintained, balanced and healthy diet.

This includes having plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholegrain alternatives to rice, pasta, bread and potatoes. Ensuring that you include sources of protein is also important for a healthy diet,. These include meat, fish and egg and if you’re vegetarian then rice and beans, quinoa, buckwheat, and soy are also great alternatives for complete proteins.

It’s also better for your teeth and overall health if you eat three meals a day instead of having multiple snacks. If you like to snack between meals then try to choose snacks that are low-sugar or low-fat. If you like to eat fruit as a snack try to eat something alkaline afterwards, like cheese, to neutralise the acid.

You’re probably used to your dentist telling you to cut down foods and drinks that contain sugar. However, quite a lot of processed foods contain high amounts of sugar and a lot of people are unaware of this. Even labels which say ‘no added sugar’ can be misleading as this doesn’t necessarily mean they have no sugar in them. It simply means there’s no additional sugars in them.

* For more information about dental issues, contact Synergy Dental Clinics Bolton or Bury, email bury@synergydental.org.uk or go to synergydental.org.uk/dentist-in-bury