To ignore dentist who has told me to give up fruit

[livingintheNL]

My dentist has said its best to just give up fruit all together. I guess from her point of view that may be good, she would love it if people just existed on water.

However fruit is good for you, vitamins minerals and helps have a balanced diet.

AIBU to just ignore her and to carry on having fruit with meals, i do always floss afterwards and swish with water.

Any other dentists out there who disagree with this advice?

[VulcanWoman]

Seems a bit extreme, does the dentist think your teeth are more vulnerable for some reason. I suppose a compromise would be to have smoothies with a straw.

[megletthesecond]

Do you have any problems with your teeth?

I'm 41 and never even had a filling but my dentist tells me to cut down on snacks and chocolate.(I floss and am skinny, I'd waste away without a few treats).

[VimFuego101]

I was told that eating cheese after eating fruit would counteract the acid attacking my teeth somewhat. I love cheese so i follow this advice religiously

[Wolfiefan]

How much fruit do you eat each day?

[CalleighDoodle]

Mine told me off for drinking warm vimto :(

[Cutecat78]

OHs told him he only needed to do one good brush a day

[Diggum]

Agree cheese is a great protector. And rinse mouth out after eating fruit but don't floss or brush till at least an hour after otherwise the fruit acid just gets scrubbed into your teeth!

[Bunbaker]

"However fruit is good for you, vitamins minerals and helps have a balanced diet."

And vegetables are even better for you. Fruit contains sugars and acid - not a great combination for healthy teeth. As has been pointed out, you could counteract the effects of fruit by having a piece of cheese afterwards.

[HopelesslydevotedtoGu]

My dentist advised me to only have fruit with meals, and that the cheese thing is a myth.

It is sugary so it does rot your teeth. Yes it does have lots of vitamins, fibre etc- you need to weigh up the pros and cons. Do you have tooth decay?

[MaidOfStars]

Switch to veg.

[Vanderwaals]

Yanbu
Eat it with a meal, maybe as pudding?
Definitely not as a snack.
And do not brush your teeth within half an hour after eating.

[Moomazoo]

Hmmmmmm then all contract scurvy!!

[jevoudrais]

You're better off to chew sugar free gum after eating fruit than to eat cheese.

[BurningBridges]

Aha!! A dentist told me this once about my children, they were 6 and 8 and she said all children must have cut up fruit, never give your child a whole apple. I was outraged at the time, but I can see she was trying to say don't bite down on hard things when their new adult teeth were so precarious. Anyway, they both have all the adult teeth they need now but I did think it was very odd - a paediatric dietician told me it was nonsense.

[BurningBridges]

Sorry - not the same thing at all is it. I think I was just REALLY keen to tell my dentist/fruit story. I'll get me coat.

[HesterShaw]

This is why I love my lovely Polish harassed NHS dentist who works in the town's "deprived" estate. She takes a look, has a scratch round and says firmly "Beautiful."

[Bunbaker]

Moomazoo vegetables are just as rich on vitamins and minerals. Most brassicas contain more vitamin C than oranges.

[Backingvocals]

Mine told me to eat food without letting it touch my teeth. Honestly I think sometimes they are so teeth focuses that they forget that other people aren't teeth-obsessed dentists.

I know they are trying to advise us for the best but never to have fruit again? Even cutting it out just as a snack - DS is munching on an apple right now. Should I really whip it from his hand and fling it into the bin right now ?

[PinkFondantFancy]

Haha Hester mine too :)

[livingintheNL]

I need to get one of these beautiful dentists.

The ones I meet are often from another planet and would rather you didn't eat. You may then have beautiful teeth but you will look like shit.

[Cantseetheforest]

I would agree about dried fruit - sticky, often sweetened unnecessarily, lots of concentrated sugars and very little fibre. (I don't eat much processed food so a bit of dried mango is a "treat").

Whole, fresh fruit isn't terrible surely? I agree veg is better overall, but it's a lot easier to eat your 5 a day with fruits and vegetables.

[lastqueenofscotland]

When my sister was a child she ended up needing about 6 fillings from holes she's aquired just eating fresh fruit. It's delicious and very good for you but there is a lot of sugar in it. How much are you eating?

[RaisingSteam]

Well actually the dentist said better to give up fruit, not You Must, I think. Unless you have unusually sensitive teeth the risk of moderate amount of fruit must be fairly small.

[originalmavis]

Cousin is a dentist:

Keep fruit eating together - so not grazing through day.
Dried fruit is worse as or sticks to your teeth.
Rinse mouth with water after eating fruit.
Use mouthwash like sensodyme promamel a couple of timed a day (and their toothpaste).
Brush teeth before breakfast.

[ZebraOwl]

backingvocals

How, exactly, were you meant to eat food without it touching your teeth?!

Was the dentist expecting you to purée all your foods? (And then drink them through a straw... Grim.)