If you want better oral health for yourself or your child, you may want to limit the amount of sugar you consume regularly. Sugar can have a negative impact on your entire body, especially your teeth, and by making a few sugar-reducing lifestyle changes, you can stay healthy and happy.

 

Knowing the Impact of Sugar for Better Oral Health

There are billions of bacteria in our mouths. By eating healthy, practicing good oral hygiene habits, and going for routine dental cleanings, you can ensure the good bacteria remains and isn’t overpowered by the bad bacteria.

When a person eats sugar, the bad bacteria transform the sugar into acid, which causes the enamel to soften and corrode. As the bad bacteria spreads through the mouth and overtakes the healthy acid present in saliva, the mouth becomes much more likely to develop gum disease and cavities.

In addition to damaging oral health, sugar can also have an impact on a person’s overall health. It is directly linked to malnutrition and childhood obesity, and consuming too much sugar can result in diabetes, fatigue, and a weakened immune system. There is also a connection between sugar intake and brain fog, which can make focusing and remembering much more difficult for kids.

 

Hidden Sugar

No matter how sugar is presented, it has the same impact. For example, consuming sugar produced by fruits is the same as consuming white table sugar.

Unfortunately, food manufacturers often attempt to “hide” sugar in their products so you won’t know the food you are eating is unhealthy. To identify hidden sugar, look for these names on food packaging:

 

• High fructose corn syrup

• Agave nectar

• Honey

• Fruit juice concentrate

• Rice syrup

Anything with dextrose, sucrose, fructose, maltose, glucose, or lactose also contains sugar. Some packaging will also state there is added sugar in the product.

 

Reducing Your Child’s Sugar Intake

Taking on new eating habits can be difficult and overwhelming. However, reducing the amount of sugar in your diet can have amazing results. There are numerous healthy snack alternatives children love, and you can easily incorporate them into a child’s diet. Snacks such as sweet potato chips, string cheese, and pretzels are popular with children and extremely tasty.

To reduce your child’s sugar intake, you can take steps such as:

 

• Only serving desserts on special occasions

• Removing candy from the home

• Limiting soft drinks and juice
  
   

Instead of soft drinks or juice, try offering your child water instead.

 

Let Us Help You Develop Better Oral Health Habits

For more information about developing better oral health habits, talk with the professionals at Pediatric Dental Group. Reach out to us today to learn more.