With Valentine’s Day coming up, you may be more inclined to eat sugary sweets. The half-priced candy at the grocery store may seem tempting, but all that sugar is not good for your teeth. Everything is alright in moderation, but make sure that you don’t over-indulge this holiday.
Consuming sugar is the easiest way to get a cavity. Oral bacteria feeds off sugar and if that sugar is stuck on your teeth, the bacteria will attack your enamel. Sugar contributes to the acid creation from bacteria and erodes away layers of your teeth. Sticky foods, such as fruit snacks, that contain sugar, will adhere to your teeth faster than non-sticky foods. This will cause the sugar to stick to your teeth for a longer time and make you more at risk for tooth decay. Try out sugar free gum to help get food particles out of your teeth without leaving behind added sugar. Only eating sugary foods at mealtime will help reduce the risk of decay as well.
Sugar + Bacteria = Acid
Acid + Teeth = Tooth Decay
Sugar also lowers the pH balance in your mouth, which attracts more bacteria. If your mouth’s pH balance is low, the acidic fluid attacks your enamel and damages your teeth. The foods most likely to balance out your mouth’s pH levels are green vegetables, such as broccoli, cucumber, and spinach. Make sure to balance out your candy consumption with some leafy greens. This will benefit your mouth in the long run and help protect it against a low pH.
This Valentine’s Day remember to take care of your teeth so you don’t get any cavities. Cavity development will increase the longer it goes untreated, so make sure to brush your teeth after eating a snack high in sugar. If you think you have a cavity, contact your dentist ASAP!
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