Sugar consumption and tooth decay

 

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Sugar Information
Sugar is a carbohydrate found in foods such as milk, fruit and honey, as well as in sweets and desserts. Sugar has a bad reputation, and can cause tooth decay and weight gain, but some foods that are high in sugar, such as milk and fruit, are very good for you because they contain vitamins and minerals as well as sugar. Where sugar deserves its bad reputation is in the so-called empty calories it contains-those that come without beneficial nutrients. A piece of fruit might have the equivalent of a teaspoon of sugar, but since it also contains vitamins, minerals and fibre, the calories it contains are far from empty.

Sugar consumption
People in the developed world are eating more sugar than did in the past. For example, people in the UK now get 17 per cent of their calories from sugar, as opposed to about 10 per cent only 20 years ago. Carbonated (fizzy) soft drinks such as cola account for one-third of the added sugar in some people’s diets.

Sugar and tooth decay
Refined sugar is the major, but not the only, cause of tooth decay. Other sugars, such as those from fruit or milk, also play a role. The enzymes in your saliva turn starch to sugar, so even bread becomes sweet as you chew it. The longer sweet foods stay in your mouth and the more they stick to your teeth, the worse they are for the teeth. Foods such as raisins are just as bad for dental health as sweets like caramels. If you consume sweet, sticky foods, rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth afterwards.

Read the label
Sugar comes in many different forms, both naturally and as refined products. All sugar is the same: brown sugar is no better for you than white sugar, nor is honey any better than table sugar. Processed foods often contain sugar, even if you cannot see it listed in the ingredients. It might be hidden under a different name: barley malt, brown sugar, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, honey, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, maple syrup, sorbitol or sucrose.

 
 

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