Why Should You Avoid Sugary Foods And Drinks?

How Much Sugar Are You Consuming?

Have you ever wondered just how much sugar you are consuming in your everyday food and drink? Most people do not take the time out of their busy schedules to calculate exactly how much sugar they are consuming on a regular basis, but it is in the best interest of your teeth to do so.

The impact that sugar is having on dental health is highly damaging, especially given the rates of sugar being consumed. Even those who are aware of their sugar consumption are typically only avoiding foods that are clearly full of processed sugars, like soda and candy bars. Yet we fail to account for the fact that sugar exists in everything we eat and drink to some degree, so it is important to calculate those sugars too.

Why Is Sugar Bad For Your Teeth?

When you consume sugar, it reacts to the bacteria found in plaque. This creates acids. These acids start attacking your teeth and destroying the enamel on your teeth. As this happens, it creates holes or cracks in your enamel into which a cavity can form. This causes tooth decay.

Let’s look at just how much sugar is in some of the things you consume regularly:

Product                                                                    Amount of sugar per 100g                   Sugar in Teaspoons

What Can You Do?

1. Start calculating the sugars in your food and drink. When you really start to pay attention, it will shock you what you are consuming and you might want to change your ways. You might not realize that the creamer you are putting in your coffee is more sugar than you are supposed to consume the entire day. You might not realize that the processed cookie you want to eat is half of the sugar you need in one day. Once you do though, you might start changing your ways. Your teeth will thank you.

   

2. Get better at brushing. Most adults do not brush as often or as long as they should. Dentists recommend that you brush your teeth twice per day, for at least two minutes. Most adults are lucky if they do once per day, for about thirty seconds. So be cognizant of this and start increasing your tooth brushing habits.
3. Make sure you get the right toothbrush and floss. The right toothbrush is critical to brushing your teeth. If the brush you have is not the right size, or the bristles are too hard, you might end up missing a lot of your teeth, certainly not getting in between your teeth, and otherwise irritating your gums. Not only is the size and shape of the toothbrush important, but flossing is a critical component of overall tooth health.We often neglect to floss more than we neglect our tooth brushing but brushing only reaches about 60% of the tooth surface. You need floss to reach in between the teeth into places your brush cannot go. So make sure you talk to your Clear Lake city dentist about which toothbrush is best for your mouth, and which floss is best. They can typically give you a free toothbrush to get you started, and then you can start replacing it every three months with the same one.
4. See your dentist regularly. It is important to make sure any damage done by sugar, lack of brushing, or anything else is removed and rectified long before it becomes a critical issue. Your Clear Lake City Dentist can remove the plaque from your teeth before it damages the enamel, but only if you visit your dentist regularly.Going twice per year is the recommendation, and during these two visits, your dentist will help to remove your plaque, clean your teeth, take x-rays, and make sure any soon-to-be-cavities are filled. Skipping out on these appointments will leave your teeth susceptible to serious (and expensive) issues like tooth decay or gingivitis.