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Your smile says a lot about you. People with perfect white teeth are often regarded as wealthier, more successful and healthier. Indeed, because people with perfect teeth are perceived this way, employers are more inclined to give them better jobs, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

So what if your teeth aren’t perfect? Well, an obvious solution is to choose dental implants, which are inserted into your jawbone to replace your teeth. This option is quite costly but it will ensure that your teeth are the right color, shape and balance for your face. Another alternative is to have your teeth whitened by your dentist and straightened using braces from an orthodontist. 

Of course, if you can, you should really aim to keep all your natural teeth and look after them properly. This means thinking more carefully about what you eat and drink as well as brushing regularly and visiting your dentist at least twice a year for check-ups.

So, which foods are best and which should you avoid?

Calcium is essential for strong bones and it is crucial for healthy teeth too. Calcium can be found in dairy products such as milk and yogurt. Do watch out for yogurts that contain a lot of sugar, though as too much can cause decay. Some green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach also contain calcium along with soybeans, white beans and some fish.

To make the most of the calcium you consume, you should also increase your vitamin D consumption as this helps to absorb the calcium. Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin as you can absorb it through your skin when it is exposed to natural light. However, you can also find vitamin D in eggs, fortified foods such as orange juice and fatty fish like tuna and salmon. 

Cheese contains both calcium and vitamin D and is possibly one of the best foods for your teeth. This may be because it increases the amount of saliva in the mouth, which washes bacteria away as well. 

Chewing crunchy food is great for your teeth as it removes plaque and washes it away. However, some crunchy foods are better than others. While crunchy foods like crisps might be tempting, you should try to stick to healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. This is because starchy foods break down into sugars in the mouth, coating your teeth. Any plaque on your teeth then feeds on these sugars and spreads. 

Fruits and vegetables are the best option and you should be eating plenty anyway to get a balanced diet with plenty of vitamins and minerals. Taking crunchy veggies to work or school for a healthy snack is a brilliant idea and there are all sorts of recipes you can find online. Adding crunchy veg to your meals is also a good way to add bulk and fill you up. 

When toddlers start teething, it’s a good idea to provide them with crunchy foods like carrots or cucumbers to gnaw on. Chilling the vegetables will cool sore gums and give your toddler to use their new teeth. Eating with your toddler will also get them into good habits so get crunching! 

Tea is something of a surprise candidate on this list because tea is often spurned since it might be a cause of staining. However, the polyphenols in tea are actually really beneficial as they prevent bacteria from multiplying and, therefore, reduce the presence of plaque. This is really important for maintaining the health of your teeth and people who drink tea often have much better oral health. 

However, it is worth noting that adding lemon to your tea will reduce the benefits. This is because the acid in the lemon has a damaging effect on your teeth. So, while tea itself is good, there’s little benefit to drinking a sugar-filled iced tea. Fresh brewed tea is always best.

Acidic and sugary drinks are really harmful for your teeth because they erode the enamel and feed the bacteria that cause plaque. If you do want to drink juice, it’s a good idea to follow it with a glass of water to wash any remaining sugars away. Drinking through a straw may also have some benefit. It might be tempting to brush your teeth as soon as you’ve had a fizzy or sugary drink but you should leave it around half an hour so that you don’t accidentally brush your enamel away too. 

Excessive sugar consumption is linked to a wide range of health issues from obesity through to chronic inflammation and type 2 diabetes. Avoiding excess sugar is the best way to avoid these problems but it might be a bit harder than you think. There are lots of hidden sugars in processed foods and most carbohydrates break down into sugars too (think of the crisps above). 

To reduce your sugar consumption, it’s a good idea to start cooking from scratch so you know exactly what’s going into your meals. You should also look more closely at food labels to see whether there is any added sugars. You will be surprised by how many savory foods are packed full of sugars as preservatives. Any ingredient ending in ‘ose’ is also likely to be a sugar such as glucose or fructose. 

Looking after your teeth by changing your diet will also help to improve your health and wellbeing. Reducing sugars, focusing more on whole foods such as crunchy vegetables and swapping out fizzy drinks for teas or herbal teas can all help to improve your overall health. 

A balanced diet is always the best thing for your body, from your teeth to your toes. Eating a range of different foods is good for your health and good for your teeth. Just remember that you need to brush twice a day, leaving half an hour after eating to minimize enamel loss. You should also see your dentist regularly or if you have any concerns to stay on top of your oral health.