Tooronga Family Dentistry in Glen Iris

How does your diet impact your oral health?

Diet and Your Dental Health: Smart Choices for Healthy Teeth and Gums

Everything you eat and drink affects your teeth and gums—especially when it comes to the risk of tooth decay. Tooth decay is driven by bacteria that feed on sugars in your food and drinks, producing acids that attack the outer enamel layer.

To keep your diet from harming your dental health, here are key points to remember:

Drink Plenty of Water
Water is calorie-free, stress-free, and very affordable! In most Australian areas, tap water includes fluoride—one of the easiest and most effective ways to help prevent tooth decay. Bottled water typically lacks fluoride due to filtration. Regularly sipping water throughout the day is a simple step for better oral health.

Limit Snacking Between Meals
Saliva is vital for neutralising acid attacks and helping teeth recover after eating. Frequent snacking means your teeth get less rest from those attacks, increasing your risk for decay. Keep sugary treats to mealtimes rather than snacking between meals.

Be Mindful of Hidden Sugars
It’s not only obvious sweets like lollies or sodas that cause decay—other snack foods such as biscuits, crackers, cereals, chips, and dried fruit also contain sugars that can initiate acid attacks on enamel.

Consider Sugar-Free Gum
Chewing sugar-free gum (never gum with sugar) after meals boosts saliva production. A 20-minute chew after eating can help neutralise harmful acids and support enamel health.

Why Does Orange Juice Taste Bad After Brushing? Glen Iris Dentist Explains SLS in Toothpaste

Have you ever brushed your teeth and then taken a sip of orange juice—only to find it tastes unexpectedly unpleasant? If you’re in Glen Iris and curious about this common experience, read on!

The Culprit: Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS or SLES)

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (commonly called SLS or SLES) is found in most toothpastes as a foaming agent. It helps toothpaste spread easily in your mouth, remove stains, and dissolve food particles, but it also temporarily alters your sense of taste.

How SLS Changes Your Taste Buds

SLS and SLES:

  • Suppress sweet taste receptors

  • Heighten bitter taste receptors

With these combined effects, foods and drinks (like orange juice) can suddenly taste bitter or off after brushing. That’s why your favorite juice doesn’t taste right after your morning dental routine.

How Long Does It Last?

The effect is temporary! Within 20–30 minutes, your saliva will have washed away the SLS, and your taste buds will return to normal. So if things taste odd after brushing, just wait a bit—then enjoy your breakfast.

Questions About SLS or Toothpaste in Glen Iris?

If you have further questions about toothpaste ingredients, strange tastes, or want advice on SLS-free options, contact our Glen Iris dental team for expert help.

Oral Health & Eating Disorders: Glen Iris Dental Advice from Tooronga Family Dentistry

Eat an apple a day

Eat an apple a day

Our dietary habits—from excess sugar to too little fruit or vegetables—have a major impact on oral health. Harmful eating disorders and nutritional deficiencies can cause lingering or even permanent dental damage.

Oral Health Consequences of Eating Disorders

  • Vitamin Deficiencies:
    Lack of essential vitamins causes easy or unexplained gum bleeding and inflamed mouth lining.

  • Dry Mouth & Cracked Lips:
    Poor nutrition leads to low saliva, chronic dryness, and cracked lips.

  • Mineral Shortages:
    Calcium deficiency increases tooth decay and gum disease; iron deficiency leads to mouth sores; vitamin B3 deficiency can result in bad breath and ulcers.

  • Frequent Vomiting:
    Teeth exposed to stomach acid lose enamel, become brittle, sensitive, and discoloured. Advanced erosion can expose pulp, causing infection or tooth death.

  • Mouth Ulcers & Injury:
    Sharp enamel edges from acid erosion trigger ulcers and mouth lining sores. Purging can cause redness, cuts, especially on the mouth’s roof, and binge-purge cycles may enlarge and inflame salivary glands.

Prevention & Recovery – Tooronga Family Dentistry, Glen Iris

  • Maintain top oral hygiene: brush and floss, and schedule twice-yearly exams

  • Confidential support at Tooronga Family Dentistry if you struggle with eating disorders

  • For bulimia: rinse mouth immediately after purging, use sugar-free mouthwash, and delay brushing for at least an hour

  • For dry mouth: regularly sip water, use oil-based product for lips

  • Strengthen enamel: use fluoride rinses and desensitizing or remineralizing agents if recommended

  • Early detection and treatment improve outcomes for both oral and general health

If you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, Call  Tooronga Family Dentistry, Glen Iris or book an appointment online for a confidential dental check.