As we grow older, our teeth can struggle to retain the vital minerals that keep them strong and resistant to cavities. But there are ways to reverse the process, as long as you still have a certain amount of healthy bone and enamel.

Don’t wait too late to start strengthening your tooth enamel, and embrace the 4 tips we suggest below as soon as you can.  

4 ways to remineralise your tooth enamel

• Eat minerals such as calcium and phosphate

• Brush with a fluoride toothpaste

• Watch your citrus fruit intake

• Try probiotics

What is tooth remineralisation and demineralisation?

Remineralisation: Tooth remineralisation is the process of strengthening your teeth against cavities by increasing the minerals within them.

Demineralisation: as we grow older, the enamel on our teeth sustains mineral loss, due to the wear and tear our diets impose upon this vital armour. Once deminerilsation has caused so much damage that your enamel is compromised, the floodgates are open for acids attacks to destroy the weaker and porous material underneath it – dentin.

4 ways to remineralise your tooth enamel  

Before we run through our 4 tips, it’s important to remember that your mouth is an ecosystem that relies on a balance of good bacteria to stay healthy.

When enough bad bacteria (caused by acid attacks) are present, that’s when your tooth enamel is in trouble from demineralisation.

The tips below will help to promote a healthy oral ecosystem, so that you avoid issues like cavities, intense tooth sensitivity, and worst of all, tooth loss.

Eat minerals such as calcium and phosphate

Small food particles will inevitably get stuck in between your teeth, even if you don’t have unnatural gaps in-between them that require orthodontic treatment.

Once stuck in between these gaps, your saliva starts to break the particles down into sugars and carbs, leaving bacteria in your mouth to break them down even further into harmful acids. It’s these acids that weaken your tooth enamel. 

The good news is that by eating calcium and phosphorous-rich foods, your teeth are reinforced against the threat of acid attacks. Better still, when foods high in phosphorous (turkey, almonds and leafy greens) and calcium (cheese and yoghurt) are combined, they complement one another in strengthening your teeth (a little like how vitamin C aids the absorption of other vitamins in your diet).

Brush with a fluoride toothpaste

Fluoride is the element to look for when you’re purchasing a toothpaste. It’s been clinically proven as a powerful protective ingredient against tooth decay, fending off bacteria that lead to decay and acting as a barrier for your enamel.

If you’re yet to embrace the protection of fluoride toothpaste, some brands offer large discounts when you purchase your first box. One of our favourites is vegan-friendly and cruelty-free brand Zing, which is contained in 100% recyclable packing.

Reduce your intake of acidic foods

One of the biggest culprits of demineralisation is citrus fruits such as lemon water and limes and mustard, as well as pickled foods like gherkins and capers.

If you do enjoy your glass of lemon water in the mornings (which is really great for digestion), make sure you’re drinking plenty of water afterwards to mitigate the negative erosive effects of the lemon on your teeth.

Try probiotics to introduce healthy bacteria into the mouth

As we mentioned earlier in the blog, reversing demineralisation is all about maintaining a healthy bacterial balance in the mouth.

Consuming probiotics can lower the pH level in your mouth, creating a healthier and less acidic environment in which bacteria become less of a threat to your enamel.

Probiotics can be taken as supplements, but many yoghurt brands also contain those listed above – make sure you check the ingredients, and sugar content before buying (as high-sugar probiotic products will undermine any other benefits they can have!)   

Key points to take away

• You will experience some degree of mineral loss at some stage in life (no matter what you eat).

• The extent of this mineral loss depends on how well you care for your teeth every day.

• Teeth need daily TLC – acid attacks don’t take days off!