One of the best things about the winter holidays is the sweet and delicious treats. The treats may be tempting enough to make you eat more than a few, but that doesn’t mean you have to end up at the dentist with cavities in January. Even with all the festive dinners and sweets, you can still maintain your oral health, and it’s quite easy to do so!
In this blog, we are going to discuss how a large amount of sugar intake actually affects your oral health and the ways with which you can stop it from happening. Consider the following tips if you wish to maintain healthy, white teeth even after the holidays!
How Does Sweet Food Cause Cavities?
Contrary to common belief, sugar isn’t directly the cause of tooth decay; instead, it is a thin sticky film of bacteria that covers your entire teeth called “plaque” that causes it. When you eat sugary food, the bacteria in the mouth feed on the sugar and produce acids. These acids wear down the teeth enamel which is the protective outer layer of your teeth. This makes the enamel weak and causes decay. Each time plaque comes into contact with sugar, acid is produced that attacks the teeth for about 20 minutes.
Since plaque develops constantly, it needs to be cleaned every day. When you don’t brush your teeth regularly or properly, the remaining bacteria continue to produce acid and keep damaging your teeth. The acids create holes in the teeth enamel, and as they grow bigger (when left untreated), they develop into cavities.
Tips To Maintain Cavity-Free Teeth
1) Choose sweets that don’t stick to your teeth. Go for non-sticky food items that dissolve quickly. For example, eat plain dark chocolates instead of caramel and candy canes.
2) Eliminate sodas. Drink water or green tea instead.
3) Even if you drink sugary beverages like sodas and punch, use a straw. This will limit the exposure of your teeth to sugar as compared to when you drink it straight.
4) Reduce the number of times you eat sweets. Tooth decay has more to do with the frequency of eating rather than the amount of sugar itself. Eating sweets after each meal is a far better option than snacking throughout the day.
5) Brush your teeth regularly, at least twice a day. Ideally, it should be in the morning and before you go to bed at night. Also, never forget to floss after brushing.
6) Rinse your mouth thoroughly after every meal. This is to remove as much sugar and sticky residue from your teeth as possible.
7) Balance your intake of sweets with other carb-rich food. This will lessen the impact of sugar on your teeth and decrease the risk of cavities.
So now that you know how those delicious treats can affect your teeth, we hope that you will be more mindful next time. You don’t have to completely say no to the sweets, just brush your teeth regularly and you are set! You can also visit our professionals at Abingdon Box Hill Dentistry to ensure that your teeth remain healthy and cavity free!
Skip to content