- To reduce cariogenicity of the diet, for adults suggest limiting eating events to three times a day with no more than two between meal snacks and eliminating highly retentive foods such as crackers, chips, and soft candies.
- For children who need the energy provided by between meal snacks, they should be healthy food choices low in cariogenic potential such as cheese, raw vegetables, meat roll-ups, and fresh fruit.
- When oral hygiene does not follow a meal, suggest ending a meal with cheese or milk, chewing gum with xylitol, or rinsing with water.
- To stimulate salivary flow, include cool, sour, or tart nutrient dense foods (sugar free), increase water intake, and suck on sugar free mints.
- Incorporate low-fat, calcium rich foods in the diet, spaced throughout the day for the best absorption rate.
- When reading a food label, don’t forget to look at the serving size and multiply accordingly.
- Resources for patient education:
• www.ada.org/public/topics/diet.asp (American Dental Association)
• www.aafp.org (American Academy of Family Physicians)
• www.eatright.org (American Dietetic Association)
• www.osteo.org (NIH resource center on osteoporosis)
• www.vrg.org (vegetarian resource group)
