There is a wide range of sugars that people eat every day, and many of these sugars are implicated in the high prevalence of dental caries around the world.
Sugar in any form, including honey and fruit juice, can cause a drop in a person’s oral pH. Therefore, all dentists Mosman and around the world recommend children and adults to stay away from sugary foods or drinks, and lower the risk of developing tooth decay.
The dentist asks the patient about their sugar intake habits when conducting a general oral health assessment.
What sugar does to your teeth?
The primary effects of sugar on the mouth are:
- It promotes bacterial growth in plaque, which causes tooth decay and gum disease.
Sugar contributes to dental caries by increasing the amount of plaque present in an individual’s mouth. It does this by stimulating the production of acid by oral bacteria. This may explain why people who eat lots of sugar-containing foods are more likely to develop cavities than those who do not consume much sugar.
- Sugar is also thought to promote caries via its ability to increase the length of time sugars remain in the mouth, thereby increasing “time-dependent decay.”
- Sugar contributes to oral disease in other ways as well. For example, it can reduce salivary pH and stimulate saliva flow, but it will decrease the buffering capacity of saliva. This increases plaque pH.
How much sugar to eat to avoid dental problems?
It’s recommended that people who want to prevent dental problems limit the amount of sugar they eat. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends keeping daily sugar intake below 10% of total calories per day, equivalent to about 50 grams.
As a rule of thumb, people will not develop dental problems by consuming up to 10 teaspoons (or about 40 grams) of sugar per day.
But for people who are at high risk for tooth decay or cavities—those who have had several cavities that are already restored or those with extensive tooth restoration —it’s recommended that sugar consumption be limited to less than 5% of total calories per day, which is about 25 grams.
The WHO says that an intake of 10% will reduce the prevalence of cavities in a population by at least 20%, and 5% will reduce the prevalence by at least 35%.
It is difficult to reduce one’s sugar intake because many foods not typically considered “sweet” contain significant amounts of sugars. For example, breads, cereals and canned vegetables often have added sugar.
Be aware that when sugar is listed on a food label, this includes both natural sugars (like the sugar found in fruit) and added sugars.
You don’t have to give up all sweets; just reduce the quantity of them you eat and try to choose foods that are less likely to get stuck in your teeth.
Lastly, remember it’s not just how much sugar you eat but how often too. So eat fewer sugary foods and drinks, and do so less frequently. This will decrease the amount of acid in your mouth, which helps protect your teeth.
A third consideration relates to how long you have been eating sugar because it takes time for bacteria to produce acids that can damage tooth enamel. So if you eat a lot of sugar over a short period, the damage isn’t as significant as when you eat less sugar over a more extended period.
Although you can always replace damaged teeth with dental implants or high-quality dentures in Charlotte, it is still best to take care of your natural teeth. Take note of the points discussed in this article and you’ll be sure to have healthier and prettier teeth.
Photo by Enci Mousavi on Unsplash
