Oral Health›Diet and lifestyle

Eating for Healthy Teeth

What you eat and drink, and when, makes a real difference to your teeth. Here are the drinks, snacks and eating habits that health bodies describe as tooth-friendly.

Updated September 2026·By the OHA editorial team·8 min read·How we write
Key takeaways
  • Plain water and milk are the best drinks for your teeth. Where tap water has fluoride added, it also helps protect them.
  • Keep sugary foods and drinks to mealtimes rather than spreading them through the day.
  • Lower-risk snacks named by health bodies include cheese, raw vegetables, fresh fruit, plain yoghurt, and nuts and seeds.
  • Unsweetened dairy foods such as milk and cheese provide calcium, and cheese can help after sweet or acidic food.
  • Chewing sugar-free gum after meals increases saliva, which protects teeth. It is not a substitute for brushing.

Most advice about diet and teeth is about what to cut down on. This article covers what to choose instead. In brief, bacteria in plaque (the sticky film on teeth) turn sugar into acid that attacks the enamel, the hard outer layer of the tooth, and saliva protects teeth by washing food away and neutralising acid. For the detail on sugar, acid and sugar limits, see sugar, acid and your teeth.

What are the best drinks for your teeth?

Health bodies in the UK, Australia and the US all recommend water first, and the UK and Australian bodies also name plain milk.

  • Water. The American Dental Association (ADA) says water helps wash away bacteria and weakens acids. The Better Health Channel (Victoria) calls fluoridated tap water the best drink for oral health.
  • Tap water with fluoride. The Australian Dental Association says tap water is the preferred choice because in many Australian communities fluoride is added to it at the recommended level, to help protect and strengthen teeth. The ADA says water with fluoride strengthens teeth against decay. Whether your tap water has fluoride depends on where you live: see fluoride explained.
  • Plain milk. The Oral Health Foundation (UK) names plain water and milk as the best drinks for teeth, and the Better Health Channel calls plain milk tooth-friendly.
  • Tea and coffee. The Oral Health Foundation says these are safe for teeth if you do not add sugar, although they can cause staining (see stained teeth). The Australian Dental Association says unsweetened tea or coffee with milk can be a tooth-friendly option.

For fruit juice and smoothies, the NHS advises no more than 150ml a day in total, drunk with a meal. The Oral Health Foundation suggests choosing sugar-free squash, diluted as instructed. For children, the NHS says the best drinks are water and milk.

What about sparkling water?

The ADA's diet advice lists still or sparkling water. Its advice on dietary acids says carbonation raises the acid level of any drink, though it names soft drinks and sports drinks as the main erosion problem. Plain still water avoids any added acid.

When should you have sugary foods?

With meals. The NHS, the Oral Health Foundation and the Better Health Channel all advise keeping sugary foods and drinks to mealtimes rather than between meals. The ADA explains that more saliva is released during a meal, which helps wash food away and lessens the effect of acids.

The Oral Health Foundation says saliva cannot protect your teeth if they are under constant attack, so avoid sucking sweets or sipping sugary drinks through the day. After having something sugary, the Australian Dental Association suggests drinking water or plain milk to rinse your mouth.

Watch for hidden and "natural" sugars

The Oral Health Foundation says all types of sugar can cause decay, including "natural" ones such as honey, brown sugar, agave nectar and coconut sugar. It warns of hidden sugars in foods such as baked beans, pasta sauces and ready meals, and says ingredients ending in "-ose" (such as glucose and sucrose) are sugars.

The sugar in whole fruit and milk is different. The NHS says the sugars in whole fruit and vegetables are less likely to cause decay because they are contained within the food, and that free sugars (added sugars, plus those in honey, syrups and fruit juice) are the ones to cut down on, rather than the sugar in fruit and milk.

Which snacks are kinder to your teeth?

Snacks named by health bodies:

  • Oral Health Foundation: cheese, breadsticks, raw vegetable sticks, toast or crumpets, plain yoghurt, plain bagels, rice cakes, and nuts and seeds.
  • Better Health Channel: fresh fruit, vegetables, natural yoghurt, plain popcorn, soups or cheese. It advises choosing fresh fruit over dried fruit, which can stick to your teeth.
  • Australian Dental Association: whole fresh fruit and vegetables (not juiced), especially crunchy vegetables such as celery and carrot, which get your saliva flowing.
  • American Dental Association: fruits, vegetables or cheeses. It adds that some foods, including cheese and peanuts, counter the effects of acid attacks.

The sources differ slightly: the Oral Health Foundation includes plain starchy snacks such as toast and rice cakes, while the Better Health Channel notes that starchy foods, as well as sugary ones, feed decay-causing bacteria. The ADA advises limiting between-meal snacks in general.

Dairy, calcium and a balanced diet

The Australian Dental Association says unsweetened dairy products such as cheese and milk contain calcium, which is very good for preventing tooth decay. The Better Health Channel suggests having a piece of cheese after sweet or acidic foods, because dairy foods help repair damage caused by decay-causing bacteria. For young children, the NHS says the calcium, vitamins and minerals in milk and dairy help build bones and keep teeth healthy.

Choose unsweetened versions: the ADA lists flavoured milk and yoghurt among common sources of added sugar.

The ADA says calcium, phosphorus and vitamin A help protect and rebuild enamel, vitamin C is important for healthy gums and healing, and fibre-rich foods increase saliva. It recommends a variety of foods: protein from animal and plant sources, fruit and vegetables, dairy with no added sugar, and whole grains. The ADA also says many researchers believe gum disease progresses faster in people with poor nutrition.

Does chewing gum help?

The ADA says clinical studies have shown that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after meals can help prevent tooth decay. It increases saliva, which washes away food, cancels out acids and brings calcium and phosphate to strengthen enamel. The Oral Health Foundation also suggests chewing sugar-free gum for about 20 minutes after meals.

The ADA says gum is not a substitute for brushing and check-ups, and both the ADA and the Australian Dental Association say to avoid gum if you have jaw problems (see jaw pain).

What about xylitol?

Xylitol is a sweetener used in some sugar-free gums, sweets and toothpastes. The US National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) says gums and sweets containing it may help prevent cavities, and the Australian Dental Association says it can help prevent tooth decay.

A 2015 Cochrane review (a systematic review of trials) is more cautious. It found low-quality evidence that fluoride toothpaste containing xylitol may reduce decay in children's adult teeth by about 13% over three years, compared with fluoride toothpaste alone. For other xylitol products there was not enough evidence to say, and none of the studies tested chewing gum. It notes xylitol can cause bloating, wind and diarrhoea.

Practical meal and snack ideas

Ideas taken from the health bodies above:

  1. Drink water or plain milk between meals, and have any juice with a meal (NHS).
  2. Put dried fruit into a meal rather than eating it as a snack: the NHS suggests adding it to breakfast cereal, tagines and stews, or a baked apple with raisins for dessert.
  3. Have puddings and treats as part of a meal, not in between (NHS, Oral Health Foundation).
  4. Swap sweet snacks for cheese, raw vegetable sticks, plain yoghurt, nuts or fresh fruit (Oral Health Foundation, Better Health Channel).
  5. Finish with cheese, milk or water after something sweet or acidic (Better Health Channel, Australian Dental Association).
  6. Wait before brushing after sugary or acidic food. The Oral Health Foundation says at least one hour; other bodies give different times, set out in sugar, acid and your teeth.

Food is only part of the picture: brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and regular check-ups still matter (ADA). See how to brush your teeth.

When to see a dentist
  • A tooth hurts, or is sensitive to hot, cold or sweet food and drink.
  • You notice white, brown or black spots, or a hole, on a tooth: the NHS says these can be signs of tooth decay. See tooth decay.
  • You have not had a check-up for a while. The NHS says to see a dentist if you have not had one for 2 years (1 year if you are under 18).

Frequently asked questions

Is honey better for teeth than sugar?

No. The Oral Health Foundation says honey and other "natural" sugars can cause tooth decay in the same way as white sugar, because your teeth cannot tell the difference.

Are tea and coffee bad for my teeth?

Not if unsweetened. The Oral Health Foundation says they are safe for teeth without added sugar, though they can stain over time.

Does xylitol gum prevent tooth decay?

Sugar-free gum helps by increasing saliva, according to the ADA and the Better Health Channel. Whether xylitol adds a benefit is less clear: NIDCR says it may help, and a Cochrane review found too little evidence to judge most xylitol products.

Sources

  1. Diet and healthy teeth, Oral Health Foundation, accessed September 2026
  2. Diet and dental health, American Dental Association (MouthHealthy), accessed September 2026
  3. Dietary acids and your teeth, American Dental Association (MouthHealthy), accessed September 2026
  4. Chewing gum, American Dental Association (MouthHealthy), accessed September 2026
  5. Teeth and mouth care, Better Health Channel (Victoria), accessed September 2026
  6. 3 tips to prevent tooth decay, Australian Dental Association, accessed September 2026
  7. Sugary drinks, Australian Dental Association, accessed September 2026
  8. Dry mouth, Australian Dental Association, accessed September 2026
  9. Sugar: the facts, NHS, accessed September 2026
  10. 8 tips for healthy eating, NHS, accessed September 2026
  11. Water, drinks and your health, NHS, accessed September 2026
  12. Milk and dairy in your diet, NHS, accessed September 2026
  13. Tooth decay, NHS, accessed September 2026
  14. Dry mouth, NIH National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, accessed September 2026
  15. Xylitol-containing products for preventing dental caries in children and adults, Cochrane (Riley and others, 2015), accessed September 2026

This article is general information about oral health. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from a dentist or doctor who knows your situation. If you have pain, swelling, bleeding that does not settle, or a problem that is getting worse, see a dental professional. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service.

Sugar, Acid and Your Teeth
Sugar feeds the bacteria that cause tooth decay, and acidic drinks can wear enamel away. How often you have them matters as much as how much. Here is what health bodies advise.
Drinks and Your Teeth
Water, milk, juice, fizzy and diet drinks, sports and energy drinks, tea, coffee and plant-based milks compared, plus how the way you drink affects your teeth, from UK, Australian and US health bodies.
Chewing Gum, Sweeteners and Your Teeth
Sugar-free gum and sugar substitutes can help protect your teeth, but the evidence has limits and there are some cautions. Here is what health bodies and reviews say.