Tuesday, September 22, 2015

The Impact Sugar Has On Teeth And How To Prevent It

It seems as though sugar is demonised at every turn nowadays. Whether it’s the weight gain it causes or the negative impact it has on a child’s mood – it’s hard not to avoid it. Whilst it might seem like a silly agenda that’s unnecessary, there are very good reasons why sugar is best avoided, not least of which is the damage it does to your teeth.


Why sugar is bad for your teeth?
 
You’re probably already aware that sugar is bad for your teeth but what you might not be aware of is why. When you consume sugar, bacteria sticks to your teeth that converts into acid, which will eat away at your teeth. Your teeth are covered by a protective material known as enamel. Sugar eats through the enamel and will cause a great deal of damage to your teeth once it does.

It’s very important for parents to control the amount of sugar that their children consume, since kids are often attracted to the most sugary foods they can find. Around half of 8 years old in the UK have dental decay already so it shows just how big of a problem sugar is and how early it can start damaging our teeth.

But I like Sweet Foods

Being completely honest, it’s not feasible for most people to cut sugar out of their diets 100%. So many every day food items now contain sugar as a preservative i.e. tomato ketchup, that it would be next to impossible to avoid it altogether. This being the case, the best course of action is to avoid any food or drinks that contain added or excessive amounts of sugar.

Some of the worst offenders in this regard are fizzy drinks. Fizzy drinks, such as Coke, Pepsi and 7Up contain a lot of sugar in each can and if you drink them regularly, they’ll certainly cause a lot of damage to your teeth. If you enjoy these types of drinks then try to cut them down as much as you can. Switching to diet fizzy drinks is another alternative although even this isn’t great for your teeth since they’re still carbonated.

As far as food goes, you should try to avoid any foods that are obviously high in sugar, such as donuts, cakes and chocolate. See these types of foods as treats to have on very rare occasions and you’ll be able to cut down your sugar intake significantly.

Some Tips To Reduce Tooth Decay

Sugar isn’t the only thing that causes tooth decay however. There are many things we can do to help prevent it as well as avoiding. For example, eating foods that strengthen your teeth, such as dairy, high-fibre fruits and veg and whole-grain foods. 

You should also ensure that you brush your teeth at least twice a day to help remove the plaque build up from the food you’ve eaten. Flossing is another essential thing to do that will help to keep your teeth healthy and prevent tooth decay.

About the Author:
Jayden is very interested in dentistry and associate with Bhandal Dentistry. His articles cover topics such as the impact sugar has on our teeth.

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