Brush your teeth after every meal. This is the simplest way to take care of your oral hygiene and maintain good oral health. While your Caledon dentist will also provide advice on flossing and rinsing, brushing after every meal is at the core of every healthy oral care routine.

Unfortunately, it’s not always convenient, or even possible, to brush after every meal. It’s usually pretty easy to brush after breakfast and dinner, because you probably eat most of these meals at home. But, what about lunch? Many of us eat our lunches at work or school, and the opportunity to brush often isn’t there.

Here are some things you can eat for lunch that will help keep your mouth healthy, even if you don’t have the time or space to brush afterwards.

Fruits and veggies

You know that old saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away? Well, the same can be said about dentists, although you’re better off reaching for fruits that are lower in acids. While we can’t stress the importance of regular visits with your family dentist in Caledon enough, eating a fibre-rich diet containing lots of fruits and veggies will help keep your mouth clean and producing lots of saliva, making one skipped brushing less impactful on the health of your teeth.

Milk products

Dairy products are high in calcium and phosphates, both of which help build tooth enamel and replace some of the minerals that can be diminished by other, more acidic foods. Think milk, unsweetened yogurt and cheese.

Protein

Protein sources like eggs, meat, fish and nuts also contain phosphorus that helps build tooth enamel, plus they’re generally very low in sugar.

Complex carbohydrates

Be mindful when choosing the starches you pack for your lunch. Reach for complex carbohydrates like brown rice or whole grain bread as they have less sugar than their highly refined cousins.

Things to avoid

We all love sweets, and there’s nothing wrong with incorporating them into your healthy diet from time to time. But try to avoid them at lunch, or any other time that you don’t have a toothbrush handy. They contain a lot of refined sugar that leads to tooth decay, and, eventually, gum disease, and it’s especially harmful when it’s left sitting on your teeth all day. Sugars and starches form a type of acid when they contact the plaque on your teeth, and it doesn’t take long for these acids to begin to erode the enamel on the surface of your teeth.

Packing a lunch is a great way to prepare yourself for a healthy, nutritious day. Just be careful to choose healthy, low-sugar whole foods that will keep your teeth healthy, even when you’re not able to brush.

If you have any questions about your oral hygiene or concerns about the state of your teeth, call your favourite Caledon dentist. Our team of dental experts at Caledon Dental Centre is here to help.