Serving areas of Okemos, Lansing, and East Lansing, MI
The food and drinks you consume have a direct impact on your oral health as well as your overall health. Eating foods that are loaded with sugar could lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and many other oral health complications. Bacteria in your mouth feed off of sugar from the foods you eat, which damages tooth enamel. That is why your leading dentist in Okemos at Tenaglia Smiles is sharing some healthy foods to save your teeth.
Where can I find sugar in my diet?
Aside from sweets such as cookies, cakes, pies, candy, and soda, sugar has become a common ingredient in most processed foods. Therefore, it is hidden throughout your diet, even when you cannot taste it. When you go grocery shopping, look at the ingredients on the nutrition label located on the back of the package. Sugar is listed in many forms, including high fructose corn syrup, fructose, maltose, sucrose, and glucose. To reduce your sugar intake, our family dentist in Lansing at Tenaglia Smiles recommends you chose foods and beverages that have little to no sugar content.
How much sugar is too much?
Adults and children should not get more than 10% of their daily energy from sugar.
The maximum sugar consumption per day is based on averages and is listed below:
- Age 4 to 6 – 19 grams (5 cubes)
- Age 7 to 10 – 24 grams (6 cubes)
- Age 11+ – 30 grams (7 cubes)
Most sugar consumption is from soft drinks, sugary snacks, and desserts. To protect your oral health, your general dentist in East Lansing, Dr. Tenaglia, advises patients to eliminate high sugar foods and replace them with healthier choices that help protect your teeth.
Healthy Breakfast Choices
Breakfast is a meal that tends to be sugar or carbohydrate-filled. Although it can be tempting to eat a bowl of cereal covered in frosting or sugar-coating, opt for more wholegrain breakfast cereals instead and add fresh fruit for sweetness. Toast with sugar-filled jam could be your all-time favorite, but banana slices or low-fat cream cheese could help sustain your energy levels longer. Make healthy choices for breakfast to help with satiety and optimum oral health.
Main Meals
Planning meals that include protein and vegetables could help naturally increase your vitamins and minerals while simultaneously reducing your sugar and carbohydrate consumption. When purchasing food, look for the items that have low sugar content or are sugar-free. Foods in their natural state, meaning not from a box, are always the healthiest choice.
Snack Time
Snacks are notorious for being sugar-filled or loaded in carbs, and bad for your teeth, and your health. However, swapping out the sweet sugary snacks for fresh fruit, nuts, cheese, or yogurt could help reduce your sugar consumption. Also, your board-certified dentist in East Lansing advises eating raw apples and vegetables, such as celery or carrot sticks, to help keep your hunger at bay while naturally cleaning your teeth of plaque as you chew.
Beverages
Consuming large quantities of sodas, fruit juice, or energy drinks could dramatically increase your sugar intake since the average amount of sugar equals approximately nine tablespoons per drink. Save yourself the extra calories, and protect your teeth, by hydrating with water instead. Water contains trace amounts of fluoride that can help protect your tooth enamel.
How do I take care of my teeth?
Since sugar is in many foods, it is important to take care of your teeth after eating. Therefore, brushing and flossing after a meal is a good way to remove cavity-causing bacteria. If you are not able to brush and floss, rinsing with mouthwash or chewing sugar-free gum could help remove most food debris and bacteria. Even if mouthwash is not available, drink water to wash away most sugary substances and reduce your risk of developing cavities.
Family Dentist in Okemos, Lansing, and East Lansing, MI
Avoiding sugar in your diet could pose a challenge. However, when you decide to reduce your sugar consumption, you protect your oral health and reduce other health risks. If you are ready to schedule a dental checkup or cleaning to ensure that you are on the road to peak oral health, feel free to contact Tenaglia Smiles by calling (517) 347-6733 or schedule an appointment online.