IF YOU DO ONE THING THIS WEEK . . . GIVE YOUR TEETH A BREAK AT NIGHT

Late-night munchies can play havoc with the waistline but that is not the worst of it, according to a new study. Midnight snacks may also have other effects too – on your teeth.

A study published by researchers in the US and Denmark earlier this year looked at tooth loss among people who get up out of bed in the small hours to have something to eat.

The study, which was published in Eating Behaviors, looked at 173 "nocturnal eaters" aged over 30 at two points six years apart and rated their oral health.

The take-home message was that the late-night snackers were at higher risk of tooth loss, compared with those who ate mostly during the day.

One suggestion as to why their teeth seem more at risk is that the flow of saliva – which helps to remove residual food in the mouth – is low at night.

And, while nocturnal eaters make up a minority of the population, it is still a salutary reminder to everyone to brush and floss before bedtime to give those pearlies a proper rest.