6 Ways to Reduce Your Sugar
Sugar is fun to eat, but not good for your teeth! That’s because you might love sweet treats, but the bacteria in your mouth loves them even more. Sucrose helps produce an acid that etches your the teeth. Limiting the amount of sugar your entire family eats is good for your teeth and key to your overall health. Here are some ways Dr. Hulse recommends you start saying good-bye to unnecessary sugar throughout the day and minimize your visits to the dentist.
Know the Limits When choosing a snack, keep an eye on added sugar like corn syrup or white sugar that are added to prepared foods. Naturally occurring sugars are less worrisome, as they are found in healthy choices like milk and fruit.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that people age 3 and older should consume no more than 12.5 tsp. each day of added sugar. (The same as one can of soda.) One tsp. of sugar equals 4 grams, so try to make sure the foods you and your children are eating fall between 12 to 50 grams a day.
The Truth About Juice Because juice is high in sugar and calories, water and milk are always the best options for you and your family. In fact, if your child is under 1 years old, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests completely removing juice from his or her diet. If you do occasionally have juice, there are two things to remember: You should have just one juice box for younger children and no more than two for kids 7-18. And sipping juice throughout the day puts you at higher risk for tooth decay because you’re giving that cavity-causing bacteria more opportunities to eat and produce the acid that eats away at teeth. This can also happen with juice that is watered down. So limit the amount of juice your family drinks, and always offer water or milk first to maintain your oral care and the health of your teeth.
Skip the Soda Call it soda, call it pop. But sugary, carbonated beverages by any name are bad news for your family’s teeth. One can of soda is the amount of sugar recommended for three days for a child.
Curb Coffee Drinks Everyone in the family loves a cup of Joe, even the little ones! Carmel Macchiato, Cinnamon Dolce Latte, Vanilla Dark Chocolate Mocha….Coffee drinks taste good but are loaded with sugar. Not only is the sugar bad for your teeth but these drinks are also highly acidic, which in turn erodes the enamel on your teeth. Coffee can also cause bad breath, or halitosis, because it sticks to the tongue and coffee stains your teeth. So don’t sip your java all day. And when you are done, brush your teeth or rinse your mouth with water. And if you do drink coffee, you can always add teeth whitening to your routine to help brighten those pearly whites.
Be Picky About Sticky Snacks Gummy or sticky fruit snacks are not healthy alternative snacks, although the food industry has us thinking they are! They are really closer to candy than fruit, especially when it comes to sugar. In some respect it’s worse than candy because it sticks to teeth longer than things like milk chocolate, which is easier to wash away. The same is true for raisins, craisins, and other dried fruits. They are so sticky that they actually adhere to teeth and stay there for an extended amount of time. Sticky food can also pull off dental crowns or fillings so be careful when you eat these snacks.
Serve Carbs with Care Whether it’s the crunch or the fact that they’re shaped like their favorite animals, kids love crackers and chips. The truth? Many crackers are simply cookies with salt. Not only do the carbohydrates in things like crackers and chips break down into sugar, they also tend to get stuck in the tops of your teeth for long periods of time.
Taking care of your teeth is just as important for you as it is for the rest of your family. Be the one to set an example …. Eat well, brush twice a day for two minutes and clean between your teeth once a day. And go see your dentist twice a year for a deep cleaning. Dr. Hulse and his team have been improving smiles in the Onalaska/Holmen/La Crosse area for over 20 years. His expertise as a premier dentist in family dentistry can help you enhance your smile for years to come. Whether you need a routine cleaning, fillings or a crown, whether you are considering Invisalign, dental implants, or veneers, or if you just want to whiten your teeth, contact Hulse Dental to get more information - 608.783.1306, kurthulsedental@gmail.com or visit our website at www.hulsedental.com