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As has been shown already, both dental
caries and periodontal disease are the result of bacterial action,
in the plaque, which collects on the teeth and gums.
A chocolate candy bar of about 50 grams may contain the equivalent
of ten teaspoons of sugar! A slice of two-layer chocolate cake may
be the equivalent of fifteen teaspoons of sugar!
These sugars are not an essential part of a normal diet. Hence reducing
the total intake, will not only benefit the teeth, but also the general
health. However, it is the frequency of sugar intake, more than the
total consumption, which is important in influencing tooth decay.
It was shown that the acid formed on the tooth in seconds from sugar
might take twenty minutes or more to disappear from the mouth. Thus,
small sugary snacks every two or three hours throughout the day will
keep the teeth bathed in a dangerous acid state.
If Children must have sweets, they should have them only once a day
(preferably during meal time). But it is better to recommend sugar-free
snacks. A good list would contain:
Fruits: Apples, Oranges, Pears, Bananas
Vegetables: Carrots, Celery, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Cucumber, also Nuts,
Crisps, Cheese (in cubes), Eggs, Milk, Yogurt.
In this way if we eliminate sugar, we reduce the formation of plaque
by depriving the bacteria of the food, from which they form the acid.
The damage by erosion that, say, lemon juice can do to the enamel
will have to be seen to be believed, So avoid frequent tooth contact
with lemons, grapefruit, vinegar and other strongly acid substances.
The chemist’s shop may also be a source of danger to the teeth, many
cough and throat sweets, lozenges, syrups, and elixirs are loaded
with sugar, sometimes up to 50-60 percent. This is to make the product
palatable. |
