For many people, staying healthy means eating foods that are lower in calories and higher in nutritional value. Choosing sugar free treats is one low-cal way health-conscious people feed their sweet tooth. Unfortunately, these foods may be damaging that very sweet tooth. Ingredients in sugar free foods may be great for your waistline, but it could still be detrimental to oral health without proper dental care.
What Packaging Means When it Says “Sugar Free”
Sugar free typically means that a food item contains artificial sweeteners or sugar alternatives like honey or certain fruits. While these sweeteners are lower in calories and easier to process for many people, they are still potentially detrimental to oral health.
How Alternative Sugars Affect Teeth
Like true sugars, artificial sweeteners are broken down by oral bacteria into a sticky, acidic biofilm called plaque. Left in place, plaque wears away tooth enamel putting patients at risk for tooth decay and gum disease. Additionally, people are likely to consume larger quantities of “healthy” treats than unhealthy foods, so their smiles are actually at increased risk for damage. Other sugar free foods and drinks are sweetened with fruits. These fruits contain higher quantities of citric and phosphoric acid which can weaken tooth enamel in addition to the damage caused by plaque buildup.
Repairing Sugar Damage
If your smile is damaged by decay or gum disease associated with the consumption of sugary foods and drinks, it’s important you seek restorative dentistry services right away. The longer oral health issues are left untreated, the more serious they become. When caught in the early stages, dentists can quickly and easily repair cavities with fillings and treat gum disease with more frequent teeth cleanings. However, if tooth decay or damage is left untreated, more advanced restorative treatments may be necessary.
Preventing Oral Health Concerns
If you truly want to keep your smile whole and healthy and feed your sweet tooth too, you need to brush and floss every day and visit the dentist twice a year. You should also limit your snacking. Every time we consume foods and drinks our teeth undergo a weakening acid attack, so snacking increases risk for tooth damage.
Meet the Indy Dental Group Team
If you want to learn more about what foods are best for your oral health or any other dentistry services available at Indy Dental Group, contact our North Meridian dentist and team today. We’ll answer any questions you have or schedule an appointment to help you care for your smile. Our caring dentist and team are always here to help whenever patients need us most. You can also come back regularly to read our blog to find out more about dental care available from our team.