5 ways to cut down on sugar
As a leading dentist in Leicester we want to give advice to our customers where possible. We all know sugar is bad for us and of course our oral health. There is no surprise that a growing number of people are having dental problems due to the amount of sugar in the diet. It is the food we love that causes the problems so here at Thurmaston Dental we have listed some tips for you to cut down on your sugar intake to help your teeth stay as healthy as possible and it can slim our waists at the same time!
1. Sugar is everywhere!
Yes everywhere, there are ‘good sugars’ and ‘bad sugars’, but nevertheless, sugar is still sugar. You will find ‘good sugar’ in things such as fruits, and I know what you are thinking: “surely fruit is good for you”. Yes, it is! But it still has natural sugar in them which can cause problems with oral health, and the way to go about this is to keep up with your oral hygiene after eating fruits. Many sugars are hidden and won’t be listed as sugar in the ingredients section. Here are just a few to look out for sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, molasses, hydrolysed starch and corn syrup.
2. Be aware of your Breakfast!
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; it’s what gets your brain moving in the morning. However, it is easy to consume a lot of sugar at this time in the day. Many kinds of cereal are found to have a high amount of sugar in them, in particular, cereal known to children’s favourites. We suggest that you select a low sugar option cereal (without adding your own sugar on top!) The fuller you are at breakfast the less likely you are to snack during the day. Be sure to have a healthy breakfast and keep your body fit and active.
3. Eat fruit whole!
You might think that having smoothies are healthy. Many smoothies you can buy have a really high level of sugar in them, which is why many people make them at home, however, when you mash up bananas and strawberries to make a smoothie the sugars are released, which coats your teeth when you drink it, it even goes to the tiny gaps. We suggest you eat fruit whole to avoid this problem or make sure you clean your teeth immediately after having your morning smoothie.
4. Watch your Alcohol Intake!
A lot of people don’t know how much sugar is hidden in alcoholic beverages, but it accounts for 11% of the daily sugar intake in the UK’s populations. It doesn’t matter whether you enjoy cider or a G&T, this sugar will have a significant impact on the health of your teeth and gums. We suggest moderating your alcohol intake as annoying as that sounds, or at least wash down the alcohol with water; it will wash the sugar from your teeth and gums.
5. Coffee Addicts!
We all love them whether it is a gingerbread latte at Christmas, chai latte or a Frappuccino, however recent studies have shown just how much sugar goes into our favourite take-out coffees. Some of these fancy coffees have triple the amount of our daily sugar amount in them which is screaming trouble for both your diet and your oral health.
Your oral health will depend on how healthy your diet is and how well you clean your teeth and gums, an unhealthy diet is more likely to lead to broken teeth or gum problems. It also helps if you have a clean toothbrush, we recommend that you change your toothbrush or toothbrush head regularly. If you are looking for a use for your old toothbrush check out our blog. If you need an appointment or want more information regarding the services, we provide? Get in touch with our friendly team here at Thurmaston Dental!
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