General Dentistry Tips: Sugary snacks and how it affects your oral health

Sucrose (sugar) is the ‘food’ for the bacteria in your mouth that cause tooth decay. These bacteria produce acid that erodes and damages the teeth. Some drinks like juices are marketed as healthy or all natural, but they can contain almost as much sugar as soda. Limiting the amount of sugar your family eats is not only good for your teeth, but also it can improve your overall health and wellness as well. Not to mention, it could minimize how often you need to visit your general or kids’ dentist.

Read Labels

Read the ingredients and nutrition facts on products before you buy them. When choosing a snack for yourself or your kids, watch out for added sugar. Try to avoid added sweeteners such as corn syrup and other sugary additions such as honey.

Sugar is listed in grams on food labels.  One teaspoon of sugar equals four grams.  Make sure the foods and beverages your child consumes fall between a total of 12 to 50 grams of sugar per day. Note that naturally occurring sugars that are found in foods like fresh fruit and milk are less harmful to your body.

Say No to Soda

Sugary carbonated beverages are bad news for your kids’ teeth and yours. One can of soda equals three days of USDA’s sugar recommendations for children.

Limit Juice

Offer healthy choices like water and milk first. If your kids drink juice, serve only the recommended age-appropriate servings at mealtimes.

Limit “Healthy” Sugary Snacks

Sweet snacks like raisins may be natural, but they still contain a lot of sugar. These and other sticky snacks like fruit rollups adhere to teeth and may stay there for an extended amount of time, “feeding” the bacteria that live in your child’s mouth.

Limit High-Carb Snacks

Kids love crackers, chips and cookies. Carbohydrates in these types of foods break down into sugar and tend to get stuck in your teeth.

One of the best ways to help your kids improve their oral health is by setting an example with healthy eating and good oral hygiene.  To learn more tips, contact our kids’ dentist in Cedar Park today.