We all know that sugar is bad for you. Too much sugar means obesity, lethargy, diabetes, and to your Lynnwood dental clinic it means tooth decay. The common wisdom, from a dental perspective, is that less sugar equals healthier teeth, but there are certain flaws in this logic. It’s important to cultivate a greater understanding of sugar’s effects on our oral health, and thereby foster the habits that will truly lead us to a happier and healthier mouth.
First off, it’s not specifically sugar that contributes to tooth decay. The main culprit is carbohydrates, of which sugar is only a small part. Fruits, vegetables, and grains, all of these are common sources of carbs. You could no more hope to cut carbs out of your diet than you could aspire to cut verbs out of your vocabulary.
Fortunately, it’s not the quantity of carbs that contributes to tooth decay so much as it is the duration of the exposure your mouth has to them. When you eat a sugar-rich meal, your mouth is under attack for maybe twenty minutes while your saliva clears away the remains. This is a lot less harmful to your teeth than sipping a sugary drink throughout the day, constantly assuring a feeding frenzy to your oral bacteria. This is why it is recommended that you limit sugary substances to regular meal times and keep from snacking.
