Tooth Tip Tuesday

Sugar, Tooth Decay and the Rotting Effect

You always hear it from your dentist and read it from almost every tooth care article you can find, avoiding sugar is one of the best way to keep your teeth strong and healthy.

Why is sugar so bad for your teeth?

From the bread and cereal that we eat to our favorite sugary beverages, almost everything that we consume, sweet or not, contains sugar.

Bacteria Feeds on Sugar

Sugar is a tooth's worst nightmare.  Bacteria already present in the mouth (Streptococcus mutans) consumes sugar to get energy, and as an end result, produces acid that eats at your tooth enamel and causes bacterial rotting of the strongest bones in your body -- your teeth.

Cutting back on the extra sugar decreases your teeth's rate of deterioration, but in times when you can not resist the temptation of sweets, remember to brush your teeth afterwards as soon as possible.

No Toothbrush? Chew Some Gum

No toothbrush? Try sugar free chewing gum to stimulate saliva in your mouth, which well help counter the acidic effects of the bacteria until you can brush.  Chewing gum containing xylitol, like in Orbitz, is particularly beneficial.

Tooth decay starts instantaneously as sugar comes into contact with your teeth. Leaving your teeth soaked with sticky sugar for a long time gives the bacteria more time to produce cavity-causing acid thus more damage to your teeth.

Not All Sugar is Bad

All sugars are not the same. There are good sugars such as those that come naturally in foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. These contain essential nutrients that is needed by the body. What you should avoid are those coming from carbonated drinks, candies, and other processed products.

Sugar itself is not bad for you. Sugar poses its own benefits for the human body. For instance, Saccharides found in sugar plays a major role in fighting certain diseases. Health risks come when too much of it is being consumed. According to The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, added sugar consumption should not exceed more than 8 teaspoons or about 32 grams per day on a 2000 calories per day diet, a limit which you can easily surpass by drinking a bottle of your favorite soda ( See sugar content in soda).