A dentist has shared a popular Christmas-time snack that could help keep your teeth healthy. The expert advised eating this after dessert for this reason.

Christmas is the season of mince pies mulled wine and endless chocolate boxes yet all that festive indulgence could be taking a serious toll on your teeth. With this in mind, a dental expert has now revealed which Christmas favourites can actually help protect your smile.

Dr Deepa Chopra, from Whites Dental, explained that the combination of sugar acid and constant snacking over the festive period creates the perfect storm for enamel erosion. She said that many people underestimate just how damaging Christmas grazing can be and often do not realise the effect untilsensitivity and decay begin to appear in the new year.

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Perhaps surprisingly Dr Chopra said that cheese can actually help protect your teeth. This is because cheese “raises the pH level in the mouth boosts saliva production and supplies calcium and phosphate which strengthen enamel”.

She said: “A small piece of cheese after dessert can help neutralise acids and reduce the impact of sugary treats.” Her advice is backed by a scientific study from 2013.

The research, which was published in General Dentistry journal, analysed the plaque pH level in 12 to 15-year-olds who didn’t brush their teeth for 48 hours. Participants were given different dairy products to consume.

Cheese was found to be the most anticariogenic - meaning it was the best at preventing tooth decay. Study authors wrote: “The results showed a statistically significant change in mean plaque pH after consuming different dairy products, as the plaque pH after 30 minutes was higher in the cheese group than that of the milk and yogurt groups, both of which showed a pH toward baseline after 30 minutes.

“These results suggest that cheese has the highest anticariogenic property among the dairy products studied, and that milk and yogurt can be considered as noncariogenic.”

As well as cheese, Dr Chopra noted the benefits that turkey and nuts can have on your teeth. She advised that turkey can actually benefit teeth thanks to its calcium and phosphorus content which help maintain strong enamel.

However, she warned that turkey fibres often get lodged between teeth and should be removed with floss or interdental brushes to prevent irritation and decay. Dr Chopra added that nuts are one of the best choices for Christmas snacking due to nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D which support healthy teeth and bones.