Food and Nutrition Guidelines - Barnsley Council Online

Mouth care for adults
Mouth cleaning
It is recommended that the mouth should
be brushed twice daily with a toothpaste
containing 1,350 parts per million (ppm) of
fluoride.
Metal dentures
The cleaning routine for metal dentures is the
same as plastic dentures but soaking solutions
containing alkaline peroxide should be used on
metal dentures.
Brush all teeth, gums, roof of the mouth and
tongue to remove any food particles and
plaque. If you wear dentures it is still important
to brush your mouth concentrating on the gum
ridges, roof of the mouth and tongue.
It is encouraged that you spit out after brushing
your mouth/teeth but do not rinse out.
Denture care
Dentures are used to replace lost or missing
teeth so a healthy diet can be enjoyed and to
have a confident smile.
A set of dentures are often called a complete
or full set which replaces all the natural teeth
in both the upper or lower jaws. Dentures are
made of either acrylic (plastic) or metal.
Dentures should be routinely cleaned after every
meal and before going to bed. It is particularly
important that dentures are removed at night
to allow the soft tissues of the mouth to recover
from the denture bearing load and reduce the
risk of infection. Dentures should be cleaned
over a bowl or sink of water to minimise
breakages if dropped.
Plastic dentures
A small soft brush and a denture cleaning paste
or liquid soap are recommended to clean all the
denture surfaces before rinsing and soaking in
a hypochlorite based solution overnight (always
follow manufacturer’s instructions).
After soaking, the dentures should be brushed
and rinsed with water before being inserted.
Healthy eating
It is recommended we eat a varied diet with
a variety of foods from all the major food
groups. Consisting of five portions of fruit and
vegetables (per day), starchy staple foods such
as potatoes, pasta, rice, bread and cereals that
are wholegrain and wholemeal, protein rich
foods such as lean meat, fish, eggs and lentils,
choose unsaturated fats that are found in
vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.
Limit foods containing saturated fat such as
fatty meats, pies, hard cheese, butter, lard, full
fat milk, cakes and biscuits and choose lower fat
versions whenever possible.
It is recommended we eat no more than 6 grams
of salt per day, many of which are found in
processed foods.
It is recommended that sugary foods and drinks
are consumed only at mealtimes and not more
than 4 times a day. The following are all forms
of sugar and can increase the risk of tooth
101