Have you ever thought that eating candy or a soft sweet doughnut could be harmful to your dental condition and overall health? Do you know what simple carbohydrates are and how they can harm your teeth? Why is it important to practice good oral hygiene? Your dentist in Kissimmee will try to answer these questions for you and explain why you should avoid having too much sugar.
How does sugar affect oral hygiene?
Carbohydrates, also known as sugar, are divided into two parts: simple and complex ones. Simple carbohydrates include monosaccharides – glucose, fructose, and galactose. These monosaccharides are found in fruits, vegetables, and honey. Fructose is sweeter than glucose. The daily intake of sugar is 50 grams for an adult woman, about 62.5 grams for an active man, and a lower rate for a child (about 10% of daily energy intake). It is very important to stay within these limits.
Excessive levels of sugar not only aid in the development of caries but also in the development of diabetes.
The appearance of caries is directly related to the intake of simple carbohydrates. Many people, especially children, consume too much sugar: candy, soda, and doughnuts.
Sugar in fruits and vegetables is not considered to be a major cause of caries, but concentrated juice is high in sugar. An unbalanced diet and the consumption of soft-sugar confectionery products, all contribute to the development of caries. There are a variety of places in the oral cavity where sugar can remain for a long time and damage teeth. So, when you are scheduling teeth cleaning in Kissimmee, your dentist will tell you if you need to lower your sugar dose.
Sugar can settle and stick to the tooth’s surface. They become a good breeding ground for colonies of all kinds of bacteria. Long-term contact between sugar and bacteria on the surface of the teeth is an important factor in the development of caries, so oral hygiene is particularly vital. It is advisable to consume less refined sugar, sweet drinks, sweets, and schedule appointments regularly for teeth cleaning near you.
The following rules are essential to prevent caries:
- Do not eat sweets between the main meals
- Do not eat sweets as the last dish
- Do not eat sweets before bed
- Rinse your mouth after each meal
- Strictly follow oral hygiene
Consuming sugar itself does not cause caries, but if a person lacks oral hygiene treatment and does not:
- clean their teeth properly
- use floss
- brush their teeth twice daily
caries develop very quickly. It is essential to rinse your mouth or to eat an apple or other hard fruit that eliminates some of the remaining sugar from your teeth after eating sweets. Besides, you can consult your dentist for teeth cleaning in Kissimmee.
How does sugar act in our mouth?
According to research, as many as 86% of children between the ages of 7 and 8 have discolored teeth. High sugar intake is undoubtedly one of the causes of this issue.
In simple terms, bacteria in the mouth use sugar as food. By producing the energy they need, they multiply and grow faster. Some types of bacteria cause sugar to adhere to teeth. This makes it more difficult for saliva to wash away bacteria in your mouth.
A constant battle in your mouth
We can joke about the fact that there is a constant battle between good and evil in our mouths. Teeth are constantly attacked by bacteria and exposed to acids. Acids work to separate minerals from enamel (so-called demineralization). The good news, however, is that there is a continuous natural remineralization process that restores mineral balance and strengthens the tooth. Here, saliva in our mouth does its useful job.
However, as soon as we take in too much sugar, it can no longer eliminate all the ill effects and our teeth start to deteriorate. The simplest way to help your teeth is to know which foods contain the most sugars and limit them.