Protecting Our Kids' Smiles

Cheese is often promoted as being one of the best snacks you can eat for your teeth. It doesn't cause any damage to the teeth and may even help protect them. What is it about cheese that makes it so tooth friendly and how can you best use its protective powers?

The Effects of Cheese on Your Teeth

Cheese ticks a lot of good boxes where your teeth are concerned. As a source of calcium it is good for the general health and strength of your teeth. Eating a piece of cheese also increases the volume of saliva moving around your mouth which helps deal with the bacteria in it, preventing it from doing any harm.

According to Nutrition Australia, the calcium content of cheese also works with its casein and phosphorus content in a useful way. When these three minerals combine in your mouth, they make a protein layer that sits on your teeth. This helps protect the teeth, reducing the chances that you'll develop tooth decay or erosion.

The Effects of Cheese on Other Foods

As well as being good for teeth in itself, you can also use cheese to reduce some of the negative effects of other snacks or food you might eat. When you eat, your teeth are exposed to acids which may weaken your enamel and lead to decay. This can be a particular problem if you eat sugary snacks between meals.

One of the big advantages of cheese is the fact that it is alkali. This allows it to neutralise acids in the mouth. So, if you have a craving for an unhealthy snack that could potentially damage your teeth, eating a piece of cheese once you've finished the snack may help protect your teeth against the acid effects of the food. Eating cheese after meals may also be a useful way of getting some extra protection.

How Much Cheese Should You Eat?

While you may be happy eating a couple of slices of cheese as a snack, you may not want to eat a lot to mop up the bad effects of a previous snack or to clean your mouth out after a meal. Luckily, a little cheese can go a long way here. According to Starts at Sixty, you only need to eat a small cube of cheese to see the benefits in your mouth after a meal or a snack.

Tip: If you're worried about the fat content of cheese if you're eating it regularly, switch to a low fat cheese. The fat content doesn't affect cheese's positive effects on your oral health.