Sugar notoriously harms your oral health. This is because sugar reacts with your saliva to become acidic. This acid can then erode the enamel, or outer layer, of your teeth, leaving your smile exposed to many dental dangers.
Dentists ask their patients to limit sugar in their diets. But this is difficult to do without proper preparation and commitment to this lifestyle change. Read on to find advice from your Philadelphia dentist on how to lower the amount of sugar that you consume and protect your smile.
Tips for Reducing Your Sugar Intake
Eliminate Added Sugar
Take the time to consider how much sugar you use in your everyday life. Try keeping a log of the food that you eat along with its sugar content to get a good idea of your current eating habits.
An easy way to start cutting sugar from your diet is to stop adding sugar to your foods and drinks. Many people will put table sugar in their coffee or tea to enhance the flavor of these beverages. Yet this habit could hurt your teeth significantly.
Removing this excess sugar from your diet could help you avoid major dental problems. Save time and money by preventing dental emergencies this way.
Adjust Your Recipes
When you cook at home, you have control over the ingredients that you put in your food. This can be a good opportunity to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet. Consider using less sugar in your recipes, especially in your baking.
You can cut half or even up to three-quarters of the recommended amount of sugar in a recipe, and you likely will not notice a difference in the taste. You may also try replacing sugar with alternative ingredients like vanilla or almond extract.
Some people may want to experiment with spices like cinnamon or nutmeg for a new flavor combination too. What you consume will greatly affect your oral health, so pay attention the next time you cook a meal.
Prepare for Sweetness Cravings
Just because you decide to cut back on the sugar that you eat does not mean that you are no longer going to want it. Do not underestimate how tempting it can be to indulge a sugar craving.
You can anticipate these cravings, however, and make sure that you have healthier snack options on hand. When you prepare for these urges, you can curb your cravings and stick to your oral health goals.
Try keeping fruit, nuts, and sugar-free drinks stocked in your home that you can reach for when you want something sweet. This way, you can feel less restricted in your diet without putting your smile at risk of cavities.
Though your dentist can treat cavities with dental fillings, you should preserve as much of your natural smile as you can. Protect your teeth by staying prepared. Construct your grocery list with purpose and pay attention to your body’s needs.