Teeth and sugar
We know that sugar is one of the most dangerous ingredients that harm teeth. Food particles, especially those rich in sugar, aid the growth and development of the cavity-causing bacteria Streptococcus mutans, which transforms sugar into acid.
The transformation of sugar (glucose) into milk acid in the mouth decalcificates tooth enamel and so allows for the development of cavities. Of course, tooth decay, cavities, aren’t caused by only one factor. That knowledge gives us the possibility to act on preventing disease from many angles. Just reducing one or more factors can give satisfactory results. The appearance of an increased number of cavities is in close relation to the intake of sweetened food throughout the day.
Sweetened beverages contain an average of about 10% sugar, or in other words, 2 dl of juice contains about 20 grams of sugar, which is a total of 80 calories. Besides the fact that sweetened beverages aren’t good for the health of our organism and teeth, it is important to note that if we are already drinking them, we have to watch how we drink them because it is important for dental health.
Slow drinking of sweetened drinks “sip by sip” has the consequence of a longer harmful action time of sugar, which in turn creates acids that are harmful to dental health and contribute to the formation of plaque and cavities. With quick juice drinking, we still ingest the calories, but we harm our teeth less. The alternative to quick drinking is using a straw, which decreases the contact between the sweetened liquid and the teeth. The fact that most sweetened juices are sodas should be taken into account, since they are acidic, which additionally damages the tooth enamel.
Besides “artificial” juices, freshly squeezed grape juice or orange juice also contain natural sugars, fructose and glucose, which can also be harmful, especially if consumed slowly.
Calorie-free beverages do not contain sugar necessary for the growth and development of bacteria, which is the main cause of plaque and cavity formation.
What sugar-free means
Since the appearance of an increased number of cavities is in close relation with the frequent intake of usually sweetened food throughout the day, and so presents a danger for dental health, the food industry, in cooperation with scientists, produced food and drinks with the label “sugar-free”. When we consume such products, they still seem sweet to us, but that is because they still contain sugar, but not the sugar that is harmful to our teeth. Such sugars cannot be broken down by bacteria and used for their energy, and the fact that they can not process them means that they cannot transform them into acids, which etches away the tooth enamel when “regular” sugar is used.
The “sugar-free” label can only be used to mark products that have passed special testing. The acidity of saliva is measured in 30-minute intervals after the consumption of food that contains such sugar. If the acidity of the saliva does not fall below pH 5.7, they are awarded the certification.
It is recommended fresh fruit is introduced to the diet instead of sweetened beverages. It contains vitamins, minerals, and oligoelements, as well as sugar content that is quickly removed. Bananas are fruits that should be avoided because of their consistency, which sticks to teeth and so stays in the mouth longer, which encourages the growth of bacteria.
The great advantage of fruit in comparison to juices is chewing, because saliva excretion increases ten times. Saliva rinses and quickly removes the sugar deposits from the fruit and so shortens the duration they remain in the mouth. Because of this, if we aren’t in a situation where we can brush our teeth (which is often the case) the consumption of fresh fruit is recommended.
As it is known that too much of anything isn’t good, so is true with the consumption of large amounts of fruit, which can lead to acids from the fruit causing acid damage to the tooth enamel, which in turn causes sensitive teeth.
For all of those who do not like fresh fruit, but love dried fruit, we have to mention that it contains nearly 50% sugar, it sticks to the teeth, and because of that it is not a substitute for the effects of fresh fruit.
With all the advantages of consuming fresh fruit, it should be said that it isn’t a direct method of preventing cavities, but a contribution to maintaining healthy teeth.
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