WHY SUGAR HURTS
Q: What is it about sugar that is so bad for your teeth?
A: Sugar is an enemy to your teeth because it combines with the filmy plaque that coats your teeth, creating an acid that can erode enamel and begin tooth decay. Depending on several factors, the plaque can remain acidic for up to an hour. After that time, the plaque will return to neutral, and the danger will pass.
In the long run, the amount of sugar you consume may be less significant than how you consume it. Dessert at the end of a meal, say, followed by brushing and flossing, minimizes the exposure of teeth to sugar. However, consuming sugary products throughout the day can keep your teeth in a bath of sugar. Sucking on a slow-dissolving hard candy, for instance, keeps your teeth in contact with acid over an extended period. Sugary drinks like soda are even more damaging since they are acidic. Some items you might think are healthy substitutes for sugar, like molasses, honey, or corn syrup, may be more damaging because they are sticky and cling more readily to teeth than refined sugar.
In addition to its effect on teeth, sugar consumption contributes to a variety of other human health problems, including obesity. Talk with your dentist about preventing sugar from being a problem for you.
If you, your family, or friends need dental care, we would be honored to provide you with state-of-the-art dental care in our modern dental practice. Refer someone you love to someone you trust!
Presented as a service to the community by Doctors Hoover and Yanda,
39 Milford Drive, Hudson, Ohio 44236. 330-650-0360.