How To Limit The Effects Of Sugar On Teeth
Cookies, cakes,
candies and sodas – everywhere you go, there are sugary treats to tempt you and
your kids. The effects of sugar on teeth may not be noticeable right away, but
too much can lead to tooth decay if you don't stay on top of it. Here's how
sugar can harm your family's dental health and what you can do to prevent it.
Acid Attacks
When you eat or drink
sugary foods – refined, processed or in the form of carbohydrates – you're
feeding the beast. Bacteria in your mouth digest the foods you eat and
specifically feed on the sugar, producing acids that can slowly dissolve tooth
enamel and cause tooth decay. According to the National Institute of Dental and
Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), these acids do the most damage to your teeth for
20 minutes after eating; this is what is known as an "acid attack."
So the more sugary foods you eat throughout the day, the more your teeth are
exposed to decay-causing acids.
Sensible Food Choices
What can you do to
protect your family from these ubiquitous acid attacks? Eliminating sugars
completely from your family's diet is unrealistic, because most of your foods
contain some form of sugar or starch. However, you can still control the amount
of sugar you and your family consumes and reduce the total time your teeth are
susceptible to bacterial acids. Consider the following dietary adjustments:
- Eat a nutritious and
balanced diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, protein and low-fat dairy.
- Check food labels for
"hidden" sugars.
- Limit between-meal
snacks.
- Avoid sugary foods that
stay in your mouth for a long time, like hard, sticky or chewy varieties
of candy.
- Offer healthy snacks,
such as cheese, fruits, yogurt, peanut butter, chocolate milk and
sugarless gum.
- Save your sugary treats
for the end of a meal or before a tooth-brushing session, rather than
throughout the day.
- Substitute water for
sugar-laden sodas and fruit juices.
Oral Hygiene Is a Good
Defense
Brushing your teeth
thoroughly after eating cleans recent sugary foods and existing bacteria off of
your teeth, and flossing once a day will clean between your teeth – a prime
spot for bacteria to hide. For those times when you aren't at home to brush off
an acid attack, disposable toothbrushes like the Colgate® Wisp™ mini-brush can be taken to work or packed
with your kids' lunches. Have your family use fluoride toothpaste as an added
defense to strengthen their teeth, making them more resistant to harmful acids
in the future.
Preventive Care and
Early Detection
Schedule regular
dental checkups and cleaning appointments for your family; this way, any signs
of tooth decay can be taken care of early. The Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) George McLaughlin, DMD, recommends placing
sealants on children's permanent first molars as soon as they appear in the
mouth. This thin coating acts as a barrier on the chewing surface of the tooth,
and protects it from decay-producing acids. Other preventive measures for
children include fluoride treatment and varnishes.
There is no denying
that people love their sugar. In fact, the NIDCR suggests the average person in the U.S. eats about 147 pounds
of it a year – that produces an enormous potential for tooth decay. Make the
necessary changes in diet and dental hygiene now, so the effects of sugar on
teeth don't come when your family is preoccupied with bigger life events.
To read the entire article
visit colgate.com
Lim and Yabu
Geraldine Lim, DDS & Eric Yabu, DDS
4174 Park Boulevard, Suite A
Oakland, CA 94602
(510) 530-7000
OaklandLaserDentist.com
No comments:
Post a Comment