Reducing Sugar Consumption
Sugar is one of the most frowned-upon food products in the health community. It is associated with various health conditions, including diabetes, inflammation, high blood pressure, and fatty liver disease. It is also one of the key ingredients in tooth decay. When oral bacteria metabolize sugar, they produce acids that demineralize the teeth’s surfaces. This initiates the first stage of tooth decay or aggravates already existing cavities.
By eliminating one of the major factors that lead to dental cavity formation, proper dental care habits, including fluoride exposure, can produce the desired restorative effects. Unfortunately, with continued unnecessary sugar consumption, regular fluoride toothpaste and other products aimed at restoring the tooth enamel will not yield the expected outcomes.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that sugar consumption should be less than 10% of a person’s total energy intake to prevent unwanted health effects. To reduce sugar consumption causing dental cavities, the WHO says that sugar consumption should be reduced further to 5%. Sugar is found in a wide range of products, so avoiding it means avoiding various sugar-containing products, especially soft drinks, and sweet snacks.
