Sugar and Your Teeth

We all eat sugar.  Whether it is from cookies, grapes or pasta, carbohydrates affect our oral health.  Each time you eat a snack containing simple or complex sugars, your teeth are attacked for up to 20 minutes.  These attacks are intensified by the amount of sugar you eat and actually when you eat.  Foods that are eaten during a meal pose less of a threat to your teeth because of the additional saliva produced.  Saliva helps to clean food particles away from your teeth, which reduces the damage from the sugar acids.  

Of course there are foods that help protect your teeth as well.  All food that is made from milk, like yogurt and cheese, are rich in calcium.  You can feel good when eating any of these because calcium is an essential nutrient for the development of bones and teeth.  Cheese has even been proven to help protect your teeth from demineralization, or the loss of calcium in your teeth.

The best way to protect your teeth is good oral hygiene and regular visits to Dr. Becker at Maiden Lane Dental.  Toothbrushing is important to maintaining a healthy smile and should be done at least twice a day.  By not flossing, you miss cleaning up to 35% of your teeth.  Good oral hygiene in conjunction with your bi-annual cleanings can keep your teeth in optimum condition your whole life.