– Sugar + Oral health
It is increasingly difficult for us to imagine a routine devoid of processed, sugary foods, manufactured with chemicals, which make them an attractive and more cariogenic product. Jelly beans, candies, chocolates, sweets, soft drinks that tempt us so much, can create caries to a greater or lesser extent. During this article, we will give some advice to reduce their cariogenic potential and thus prevent dental disease in you and your family.
Acid attack:
When we constantly hear that one of the causes of dental caries are the acids produced in the mouth and we wonder exactly what they are referring to, well, sugary foods serve as food for the bacteria that are normally in the oral cavity, these are metabolized and transformed into acids that destroy dental tissues. According to the National Institute of Dentistry and Cranio-Facial Research (NIDCR) this acid attack is produced during the first 20 minutes after ingesting food, that is why it is important to brush during this period and not after, since this will favor caries and the formation of bacterial plaque.
Alternatives to dietary sugar reduction:
How can we eliminate sugars from our diet if practically all foods, processed or not, contain sugars, carbohydrates and starch? Indeed, it is impossible. Realistically we cannot eliminate them from the root, but we can reduce the amount of sugars, the intakes and the time they remain in our mouth without being cleaned. Some of these examples may be:
- Do not snack between meals, sugary foods, wait to take them during the meal period.
- Do not eat products rich in carbohydrates or viscous products that make cleaning difficult during brushing.
- Substitute water for prepared juices and sweetened soft drinks.
- Let’s avoid the excessive amount of meals between meals, better a binge than so many exposures per day of products rich in sugar.
- Check food labels to discover hidden sugars in their composition.
Tooth brushing:
The best defense against cavities is still the most primitive and the one we are taught from an early age, do not forget to brush 3 times a day after every meal, thus reducing the risk of cavities, calculus formation and elimination of bacteria. Encourage your family to use fluoride toothpastes to make your enamel stronger, antacid toothpastes to neutralize acids and very important to use dental floss to eliminate bacteria and debris that remain between the teeth.
Preventive and community dentistry:
More and more campaigns are launched to prevent tooth decay, do not forget to perform routine checkups for you and your family, the specialist can detect early any type of condition, and treat it painlessly. An interesting way to avoid this, in the smallest of the house, make a visit to your pediatric dentist and place sealants in grooves of the chewing surfaces that will prevent the penetration of bacteria in very pronounced anatomies and apply fluoride to strengthen your teeth.
Dr. Jose Luis Lobato Jimenez
Member No.: 46004338
