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Amber Erickson: Denver Content Marketing Strategist & Freelance Health and Lifestyle Writer

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Dental Health Pt. 3 – How sugar affects your teeth

by Amber Erickson

6a0134860e42be970c0147e033574c970b-500wiIn the past two weeks we’ve talked about why it’s important to take care of your teeth and mouth (also known as dental health or oral hygiene) and how to properly care for your teeth and mouth. The last topic on this dental health kick is about sugar. I know – I would rather maintain my ignorance about it too, but it’s a big deal.

During my recent dental visit, my dentist mentioned sugar. I was feeling very honest that day. Perhaps I knew he could tell by my teeth if I was lying or not anyway, so I might as well come clean. He informed me, quite nonchalantly, that sugar is nasty for teeth. I knew that, but I didn’t know what about it was doing harm.

It’s All About Balance

Just like most things, our bodies have a pH. If you remember back to chemistry, the pH scale measures hydrogen ion concentration and goes from 0-14 with 7 being neutral (like water). 0-6 is considered acidic and 8-14 being basic or alkaline. You’re wondering what this has to do with anything, right?! Stay with me.

The reason pH matters is our bodies have pH and keeping those levels consistent is important for homeostasis, or proper functioning of the body. In recent years, I’ve seen more and more reference to pH of foods because most of us eat (and drink) heavily acidic foods and beverages. This creates excess acidity in our bodies and can create an environment for pathogens to grow, organs to work less efficiently and so on. The focus here is teeth, but if you’re interested in diet, pH and overall health, here is a great simple introduction to pH and diet from Kris Carr – whole-foods expert – and here is a simple chart showing pH of certain foods.

 Sugar, pH and the Mouth

Ok, let’s put this all together. When we eat sugar, it changes the pH of our mouth. What happens is the tons of bacteria that naturally live in the mouth eat the sugar and create a more acidic environment which can lead to demineralization of the teeth. Less strong teeth equals more possibility of tooth breakdown, decay and cavities. Makes sense, right. To take this one step further, it’s not so much the amount of sugar consumed, it’s the frequency. If you casually snack on jelly beans all day, you’ll have a longer term pH effect than if you ate the whole bag in a 2-minute sitting. I’m not advocating eating whole bags of jelly beans (or anything for that matter), but it’s something to think about considering many foods today, mostly processed foods, sneak in crazy amounts of sugar. I’m just as guilty here – sweets are my vice – but I’d rather be an informed sugar addict than an ignorant one!

To take this, again, one step further, if this is what is occurring at the mouth level when consuming sugar, imagine the greater consequences throughout the whole body! It’s not just about your teeth, or the size of your thighs, we’re talking health here.

What do you think about this? New information? Habit changing? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, Holistic Health Tagged With: acidity, alkaline, dental health, oral hygiene, pH, sugar, teeth

Dental Health Pt. 1: Are you Brushing Incorrectly?

by Amber Erickson

Toothbrush-and-toothpaste

We all know that for optimal oral health, we should brush at least twice daily, floss daily and visit the dentist every six months. If you do all this, good for you, you’re probably in the minority (especially the flossing part), but you still might be setting yourself up for tooth problems later in life?

What!?

At my recent cleaning, my dentist mentioned that my gums are receding more than they should be. The problem with receding gums is it leaves the more delicate parts of the tooth exposed to the elements which can lead to sensitivity and other, more serious problems. Braces could be partially to blame, but the biggest culprit is probably my toothbrush and a heavy hand.

My dentist, Gregory Herzberg, at Boulder Dental Center gave me two pieces of advice that rocked my previous dental knowledge:

1. Soft Bristle Toothbrushes are Preferred

Dr. H asked what stiffness my bristles were. I didn’t have a clue – probably medium or so, I responded. I knew they weren’t firm, but I never paid much attention. Come to find out, most people should be using soft bristle brushes.

2. Brushing is a Gentle Activity

I think I’ve always approached brushing my teeth like cleaning – you have to really scrub to get everything. Wrong. Dr. H (I hope he doesn’t mind me calling him that) instructed me to work on a light touch and gentle circles with the brush at a 45 degree angle so the bristles can gently get in, under and around the gums. No more heavy-handed scrubbing I guess!

Put this all together and what teeth and gums really need is some tender care, rather than aggressive scrubbing. Who knew?!

Stay tuned for Pt. 2: Why Does Dental Health Matter Anyway?

Filed Under: Holistic Health Tagged With: dental health, dentist, flossing, oral hygiene, toothbrush

Contact me

amber@mindfullywritten.com
952-250-1739

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