Why Sugar Can Harm Your Teeth

Exactly how does sugar damage your teeth? Since ‘tis the season for Christmas baking and all things candy related you might want to know what you’re getting into, teeth-wise, before you pop that frosted sugar cookie or Black Magic truffle in your mouth. (ignorance is bliss, as are homemade butter tarts, but just in case you want to arm yourself with information...) Sugar actually mounts a two pronged attack on your teeth. First it acts like an acid, dissolving the enamel on your teeth. Every time you eat something with sugar in it the resulting acid attack can last up to 20 minutes.
 
The sugar also feeds the bacteria that occur naturally in your mouth. They use the sugar as a source of energy that allows them to multiply and stick themselves to the surface of your teeth. In time this film of bacteria turns into plaque, which continues to eat away at your tooth’s enamel, creating tiny holes. These tiny holes are actually cavities and if they are left untreated they will continue to grow until they become visible and your dentist says they need filling.
 
Since we all know which foods for sure contain sugar, how about a look at foods you may not know contain sugar:
 
Cheese Whiz – 2 grams per 2 TBSP
Kraft chunky peanut butter – 1 gram per 1 TBSP
Honey – 16 grams (ouch) per 1 TBSP
Heinz Ketchup – 4 grams per 1 TBSP
Classico pasta sauce – 6 grams (surprising!) per 125 ml
Ready-to-eat chocolate puddings – 17.8 grams (GASP!) per 100 grams
Butter croissants – 11.3 grams sugar (less than pudding!) per 100 grams
 
Rinse with water after eating, brush 2X a day and floss once a day. Stick with the basics Grasshopper, they will get you through the holiday season with minimal tooth damage to show for maximum snacking!