Tooth decay is the most widespread non-communicable disease in the world: it is estimated that at least 90% of the population, of any age, develops it at some point in their lives. Children are the most affected, because of a diet too rich in sugar. Let’s see how to avoid the sugars hidden in food.
Eating foods and drinks that contain sugar is the main cause of tooth decay. The bacteria in the mouth feed on carbohydrates, so reducing sugar intake reduces the risk of tooth decay. Besides cutting the amount of sugar in our diet, it is also important to pay attention to the texture of the food we eat (liquid, solid or chewy), to its nutritional composition, to the combination of foods we eat and to the order in which we eat them.
The WHO recommends that free sugars make up less than 10% of total energy intake and that they are consumed no more than 4 times a day. “Free sugars” means all added sugars, in other words sugars not naturally present in fruit, vegetables or milk.
Added sugars include refined sugar, cane sugar, icing sugar, honey, sucrose, glucose, maple syrup and so on. We often add them knowingly to the food and drinks we consume (think of the sugar or honey stirred into a cup of tea or coffee), but most of the time we eat them without realising, because they are hidden in the snacks we reach for between meals.
The main culprits include sweets, especially chewy ones that stick to the teeth; crunchy foods such as packet crisps, rich in starch that gets trapped between the teeth; confectionery (biscuits, snack cakes and so on); fizzy drinks; energy drinks and alcoholic drinks.
How can we cut down on these hidden sugars? By changing our habits and choosing foods that are good for our oral health. So let’s favour fresh fruit and nuts, vegetables (carrots, for example), cheese and plain yoghurt, and drink plenty of cool water instead of acidic fruit juices or fizzy drinks, which erode tooth enamel even in their light or sugar-free versions. And if we fancy a sweet? Let’s chew a sugar-free gum instead.
Let’s also remember to look after our oral hygiene and to have regular dental check-ups.
Credits: Photo by Luis Aguila on Unsplash
