Remember how we all hated Willy Wonka’s dad when he tossed all of Wonka’s carefully collected candy away into the fireplace? Well, apparently he wasn’t doing it to be cruel but rather out of genuine love and concern.  

Sugar just happens to be one of the main causes of tooth decay and it’s about time you knew the facts before you indulge that sweet tooth of yours! 

Why is sugar bad? 
The mouth is filled with thousands of bacteria which digest carbohydrate remains on your teeth after you eat.  The remains include refined sugar found in cookies, fizzy drinks, candy and even in healthy foods such as fruits and whole grains.  

In digesting these carbohydrates, the bacteria will produce an acid called ‘plaque’ that will destroy the tooth enamel (the protective layer of the tooth) and form tiny holes in the tooth leading to ‘tooth cavities’. If these tiny holes aren’t treated, they get bigger and bigger and eventually, the acid and bacteria in plaque will eat through the other layers of your teeth.  

Not just cavities, often the hardness and the stickiness of sugar can break teeth, loosen dental fillings and yank out crowns. 

What to beware of

• Carbonated soft drinks contain phosphoric and citric acids that have been shown to erode tooth enamel
• Citrus fruits and juices can erode enamel, making teeth more susceptible to decay over time
• In their natural form, coffee and tea can be healthy beverage choices. But when sugar is added to caffeinated coffee and tea, it will dry out your mouth and may also stain your teeth 
• Sticky foods like dried fruits can damage your teeth since they tend to stay on the teeth longer than other types of food 
• Potato chips or any crunchy food are filled with starch, tend to get trapped in your teeth that can lead to plaque build-up
• Alcohol causes saliva flow to reduce which can lead to tooth decay and other oral infections such as gum disease

So what to do now?
·    Reduce the amount of sugar in your diet
·    Drink soft drinks only in moderation
·    Use a straw so your teeth are less exposed to the sugar and acid in the drink 
·    Drink water to help rinse out your mouth and dilute the sugar 
·    After drinking or consuming sugar, wait at least one hour for your teeth to recover and your enamel to re-harden before you brush 
·    Never drink or consume food with sugar before you go to bed. The liquid will pool in your mouth and coat your teeth with acid and sugar
·    Be conscious about how often each day you have a food or drink that contains sugar
·    Make sure you don’t have food/drinks containing added sure more than 3 times a day
·    Eat a healthy balanced diet

Did you know?

Text by Panchali Illankoon