USA - Time, not sugar, decay culprit
Time, not sugar, decay culprit
By Lisa Ryckman, Rocky Mountain News
From Halloween through Christmas, it seems like my kids are doing nothing but eating candy and sweets. I'm more worried about their teeth than their weight. Which sweets are the least harmful?
Not the ones you might think.
It's not so much the sugar that causes cavities as how long the sugary treat stays in their little mouths, according to the American Dental Association.
The stickier the treat, the harder it is for saliva to wash it off teeth. So gummy bears, which are a lowfat candy, can cause more damage to tooth enamel than a chocolate bar.Here's the way it works: Bacteria called plaque that form on the teeth and gums produce acid when exposed to sugar or starch, and that can lead to tooth decay. Things like cough drops, breath mints and hard candy, while low in calories, hang out in the mouth and stimulate acid production, so if you choose those, make sure they're sugar-free.
The ADA has some tips to help reduce tooth-decay risk and still get a holiday sugar fix:
* Consume sugary foods with meals. Saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth.
* Limit between-meal snacks. If you crave a snack, choose nutritious foods and consider chewing sugarless gum afterward. Sugarless gum increases saliva flow and helps wash out food and decay-producing acid.
* Drink more water. Consuming optimally fluoridated water can help prevent tooth decay. If using bottled water, check the label for the fluoride content.
* Brush teeth twice daily and floss daily.
Why can't she say no more sweets?
By Lisa Ryckman, Rocky Mountain News
From Halloween through Christmas, it seems like my kids are doing nothing but eating candy and sweets. I'm more worried about their teeth than their weight. Which sweets are the least harmful?
Not the ones you might think.
It's not so much the sugar that causes cavities as how long the sugary treat stays in their little mouths, according to the American Dental Association.
The stickier the treat, the harder it is for saliva to wash it off teeth. So gummy bears, which are a lowfat candy, can cause more damage to tooth enamel than a chocolate bar.Here's the way it works: Bacteria called plaque that form on the teeth and gums produce acid when exposed to sugar or starch, and that can lead to tooth decay. Things like cough drops, breath mints and hard candy, while low in calories, hang out in the mouth and stimulate acid production, so if you choose those, make sure they're sugar-free.
The ADA has some tips to help reduce tooth-decay risk and still get a holiday sugar fix:
* Consume sugary foods with meals. Saliva production increases during meals and helps neutralize acid production and rinse food particles from the mouth.
* Limit between-meal snacks. If you crave a snack, choose nutritious foods and consider chewing sugarless gum afterward. Sugarless gum increases saliva flow and helps wash out food and decay-producing acid.
* Drink more water. Consuming optimally fluoridated water can help prevent tooth decay. If using bottled water, check the label for the fluoride content.
* Brush teeth twice daily and floss daily.
Why can't she say no more sweets?
posted by Bill at
9:54 AM
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