How Does Sugar Cause Toothdecay and Cavities?

April 3, 2013 Tooth Decay

how to cure cavitiesIn a recent put out by the American Dental Association, they addressed bacteria as being the primary cause of tooth decay. Unfortunately, bacteria is not the real cause of tooth decay but rather a byproduct of having too much sugar in your diet.

Sugar causes tooth decay and cavities. When we consume sugars, it ruins our teeth a number of different ways.

1. Sugars cause teeth to decay because they increase acidity in our mouth. People who constantly eat sugars, maintain a high level of acidity that can demineralize teeth and weaken tooth enamel. It is the acidity demineralizing teeth, which creates soft spots, and eventually corrodes into a cavity. Bacteria aid in the process, by converting the sugars into acids very quickly. Acids can last in your mouth for up to 45 minutes after you eat sugar. The long-term effects of sugar on teeth are that it can actually make your mouth more acidic. This can lead to weak enamel, and lots and lots of cavities.

2. Sugar increases the amount of harmful bacteria in your mouth. Coincidentally, it also increases the amount of harmful bacteria throughout your digestive system. These bacteria can move by themselves very quickly, and cause a lot of problems.

3. Even though sugar is high in calories, it is low in nutritional value. Every time we eat sugar, we rob our bodies of vitamins and minerals that we could be getting if we ate something more healthy. Vitamins and minerals help us to remineralize our teeth and keep them strong.

Are Your Teeth Sensitive to Sugar?

A lot of people develop a sensitivity to sugar, or too hot and cold sensations in their mouth. This is due to them having very weak enamel surrounding their teeth. My teeth used to be the same. If your teeth are sensitive to sugar, it is because your body is telling you that you eat to much and you need to cut back or you will develop a cavity. If you have teeth sensitive to sugar, you should try to cut back as much as possible. The first thing you should do is to avoid sugary drinks. Sugary drinks are one of the primary reasons why the average American consumes nearly 2 1/2 pounds of sugar each week. They are also one of the leading causes of obesity.

The next thing you should do is be aware of manufactured products containing large hidden amounts of sugar. Ketchup, salad dressing, and most of the products used the in the supermarket contain lots of sweeteners, mostly in the form of corn syrup. Fructose is especially bad for our bodies!

how to prevent cavitiesUnfortunately, government intervention often makes things worse. In the 1970’s and 80’s, the government passed new regulations that attacked the fat content in foods. Unfortunately, when you take the fat out of foods, it starts tasting more like cardboard. In order to mask the cardboard flavor, manufacturers turned to using lots of sugars and salts.

It turns out that sugar is a lot worse for you than fat ever was, especially partially hydrogenated sugars and high fructose sugars. Sugars not only cause tooth decay and cavities, but they can also lead to Type II Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity. Every time you eat sugar, it spikes your insulin, making you hungrier and also making it harder for you to lose weight,  and it increases your blood pressure. In order to avoid these, try to cut down on your sugar intake. If you are a man, keep your sugar intake below 150 cal per day. If you are a woman, try to keep your sugar intake below 100 cal.

If you want to prevent cavities and cure tooth decay, a change in your diet is of extreme importance. Unless you change your diet, it is hard to keep your sugar level that low. I just had a 1.5 servings of raisin bran with milk and I consumed about 40 grams of sugar! I know I have a long way to go. I really don’t believe cereal is very healthy for you either, and pretty soon I think I am going to stop eating it!

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