We can all agree that sugar is bad for your teeth, but there are a few more sweet ideas that might not be true. Let’s look at some of the most popular myths about sugar and your teeth, such as why it’s not the only thing you need to watch out for in your diet. There are many foods to avoid that it would be hard to just list them all.
The list rapidly looks like a set of rules, so it’s natural to wonder what you can eat and drink.
1. Diet and sugar-free beverages are a better choice
The reasoning seems to make sense: if sugar in beverages is bad for you, then the version without sugar must be fine. You can probably drink the same or more sugar-free lemonade or Coke as you want without hurting your teeth, right? This sounds more like a myth than anything else.
At the University of Michigan, researchers looked at how Coke and Diet Coke hurt teeth. The results showed that after 14 days, the diet version did slightly more injury to tooth enamel than the normal model. No matter what other benefits these diet sodas might have, they won’t save your teeth’s enamel. Many sugar-free drinks have a lot of phosphoric acid, citric acid, or tartaric acid. These acids can damage the enamel on your teeth, which can lead to tooth decay, cavities, or problems with your gums.
This is true even for fruit juices, which can have a lot of natural citric acid. Switching from lemonade to orange juice might be better for your overall health, but it won’t keep your teeth from getting hurt. (Hint: Drink orange juice through a straw that isn’t made of plastic to avoid getting it on your teeth.) There are drinks that don’t hurt teeth much, if at all, and it’s no surprise that water is at the top of that list. But we understand that many people don’t want to restrict themselves to just water. Even though tea and coffee can stain your teeth, most people think of milk as an enamel safe drink as well.
2. Tiny treats all day are better than one big one
What do you think is more terrible? One big cake of sugary pudding that you eat all at once or a pack of jaffa cakes that you eat throughout the day. The first one might be worse for your waistline, but the second one, constantly picking at sweets, is much more likely to hurt your teeth. Plaque bacteria in your mouth make acid every time you eat something sweet or starchy. This acid wears down the enamel on your teeth. Most of the time, the damage stops after about an hour, and the “invasion” is over. When you nibble on sweets or sip a sugary drink slowly throughout the day, these attacks are much more likely to happen.
3. Getting rid of all sugar is good
If sugar is bad for your teeth, it seems like a simple equation: cut back on sugar, get better teeth, cut out sugar, and get the best teeth possible. The problem with this line of thinking is that dental health isn’t the only thing that needs to be thought about when it comes to your health. Your diet and health need to be looked at as a whole. Yes, it is recommended to cut out refined sugars like those in candy, but not “natural” sugars like fructose and lactose, which are found in fruits and dairy. Foods that have natural sugars also have other important nutrients to help keep your blood sugar levels steady and are good for your health as a whole.
Glucose in refined sugars is dissolved in your mouth, which creates those nasty acids we talked about earlier. Fructose and lactose, on the other hand, are broken down in your stomach. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t clean your teeth after eating sugars, though, because sugar deposits can still damage your teeth. To lessen the effects of the sugars and acids in natural sugar-containing foods, take care of your teeth at home and see your dentist and hygienist as often as they tell you to.
4. If you eat sugar, you should brush your teeth right away
You should…BUT…this changes depending on what kind of sugar was eaten and what it was mixed with. It’s good to brush your teeth after eating something with refined sugar, like a cookie. Not so much after orange juice, which has both sugar and acid.
When you eat or drink something acidic, the pH level in your mouth alters, and if you brush your teeth right after, you are more likely to damage the enamel. It’s best to wait 1 hr before brushing your teeth in these situations.
At this point, the only way to keep the condition from coming back is to take better care of your teeth and maybe stop eating or eat less of some of the worst foods that cause problems.
Changing other things about your life, like smoking less, can also be helpful.
5. Sugar hurts your teeth the most
Even though sugar is bad for teeth in the long term and eating too much of it can lead to plaque build-up, bacteria, and other dental problems, it’s best not to think of one thing as the worst thing for teeth as a whole. The acid in beverages and foods can be just as bad, as mentioned before.
Alcohol also has sugar in it, but it can do even more damage because it can dry out the mouth. This can cause plaque and bacteria to build up, which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.
So, what’s the real story?
The best approach to preventing the need for root canal treatment is to cut back on or eliminate refined sugars and to maintain a good oral dental care routine at home. This includes brushing before eating breakfast in the morning, and not rinsing with water after brushing (spit out the toothpaste as usual) so you keep the protective fluoride on your teeth, and sipping water throughout the day to keep saliva levels at an ideal level. Regular dental check-ups and oral hygiene consultations are also important, as they allow any problems to be detected early and give your teeth an extra clean that you can’t get elsewhere (especially after eating some bad snacks).
If you want to make an appointment for root canal treatment or any other dental care at Shine Dental Care in Nottingham, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Our team of experienced dentists and dental specialists is here to help you maintain a healthy smile.
Get in touch with Shine Dental Care if you want to make an appointment with our dentist or hygienist.