Feeding a sweet tooth the right way

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Robert Beck
  • 90th Dental Flight commander
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  Eating sweets may satisfy one's sweet tooth, but eating too many might lead to detrimental results for teeth and gums. What people do before they eat sweets, how they eat them and what they do after eating sweets has a huge impact on the health of their teeth and gums.

According 90th Dental Flight doctors, eating sweets affects the sticky film of bacteria called plaque that constantly forms on the teeth and gums. Whenever the bacteria in this sticky plaque come in contact with sugar or starch in the mouth, they produce acid that lasts for about 20 minutes. A few attacks each day is probably not going to cause great harm, but many attacks or a constant attack from this acid can cause tooth enamel to breakdown, eventually resulting in tooth decay.

Tooth decay depends on the frequency sugar is consumed, not the amount, the doctors said. Every time a new amount of sugar is put into the mouth, a new 20 minute acid attack begins. In addition to that, the stickier things are, like caramel or gummy bears, the less likely they will be washed out from between the teeth by saliva. This creates a prolonged acid attack that can last for hours.

Studies say, soft drinks, energy drinks and other fruit juices containing sugar should be consumed in a short time allowing recovery from the acid attack. Sipping throughout the day is the worst way to consume liquids containing sugar. If sipped over a period of time, as with sticky substances, the acid attack is continually present.

The following tips from the dental clinic can help members reduce tooth decay risk and still enjoy sweets:

Consume sugary foods with meals. Saliva production increases during meals, helps neutralize acid production and rinses food particles from the teeth.

Limit between-meals snacks. Choose nutritious foods and consider chewing sugarless gum afterward. Sugarless gum does not cause an acid attack and can increase the saliva flow to help neutralize the acid and wash out food.

Drink more water. Consuming water can reduce the acid attack and wash out food like saliva does. Swishing it around after eating a sugary snack can also increase the neutralization of the acid attack.

Brush and floss teeth a minimum of once per day. Studies have shown that the plaque that utilizes the sugar to cause an acid attack, is not able to do so if it is not allowed to organize. Disturbing this plaque at least once every 24 hours is critical.

Eat, drink and chew sugar free sweets. A sweetener called Xylitol is available in many forms. Not only does this sweetener cause no acid attack, it reduces the effectiveness of the bacteria causing the attack from other foods containing sugar.

See a dentist regularly. Ask questions.

The staff at the Warren Dental Clinic wants to help members take care of their teeth, and is available for any questions people have about feeding their sweet tooth the correct way.