Dental hygiene

I still enjoy the honey my bees produce. I use Duraphat tooth paste twice or thrice daily, brush before breakfast, and have a fluoride varnish every three months. In nearly eight years I have no new caries. I lost a front tooth because a thirty year old crown failed but that’s nothing to do with eating sweet things. 
I don’t often snack but when I do I rinse my mouth out with water and swish with a fluoride mouthwash. 

PS

The idea behind brushing when you get up in the morning is to remove overnight plaque which the bacteria from breakfast would feast on. 

I also use duraphat twice daily and fluoride mouthwash in between.

Well enjoy your coffee and rinse your mouth out with water afterwards. I wouldn’t give it up 

Hi Izzy. There are some things in life that help make it enjoyable and are non negotiable in my opinion. Your coffee in the morning is one of those. If you maintain good oral hygiene I don't see there is any need to stop having your coffee. I have a compromised diet as I can no longer chew and I eat a lot of pureed food that has some sugar in it plus regular Fortisips. I make sure that I clean my teeth after every meal and complete a mouthwash with bicarb and salt in it. When I go out I take a bottle of water with me and go to the bathroom and wash out my mouth if I have had something to eat or drink. I have been doing this for the last 7 years and have not had any dental issues. I see my hygienist regularly and she keeps an eye on things for me. As long as your oral hygiene is good  I say keep doing what you are doing.

Lyn

Dani is it ok to rinse immediately after you eat something sweet or should you wait the 30 mins first before doing it. I usually rinse immediately with salt bicarbonate soda rinse then 30 mins later use flouriguard . Is that ok x

Oh, I do it straightaway and just with warm water

I've got expert with those little orange interdental sticks too

Hi Izzy,

I was told quite emphatically to avoid sugar by the restorative dentist who said I needed 3 molars removed prior to my radiotherapy. I work on the idea that they probably know a bit more about the subject than I do and have seen the consequences of people ignoring their advice. 

I can just about drink coffee without sugar but it's not so pleasurable, and tea without is vile.

I asked him whether sweeteners would be a better option and he replied yes that's much better. Consequently I stick to sweeteners now and am happy with that.

If you were 82 I'd say do what you like, but at 42 my advice would be to listen to the dentist and maybe try some different sweeteners and see if any of them are ok. Some I tried were unpleasant but I found Sucralose to be pretty good. 

Hello Izzy

Not the same situation, but my husband, with a recent Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, says that canderel sugarly…a sweetener in granulated form and with the appearance of the real stuff, tastes the same as sugar in his cappuccino. May be worth a try?

Liz