Does Sugar Cause Cavities?: No... and Yes...
Valentines Day is associated withy candies and chocolates, so before you break open that box
of goodies...
Sugar by itself does not cause cavities. But there is more to it. Please read on because it
is possible to enjoy sugary treats without ruining your teeth.
Germs in your mouth eat the sugar you eat and produce quantities of acid. It is actually the
acid that eats holes in your teeth and makes cavities.
Sugar + Germs = Acid. Softer teeth are more susceptible to acids to form cavities. If you want
to enjoy some treats and minimize decay, you must reduce the quantity of acids and increase the
hardness of teeth.
- Eat sugar less often. Every time you eat a sugar containing food or snack the bacteria will
make some acid and more acid = more decay. Frequency is most important. One little candy per
hour is 10 X more decay producing than one big piece of cake, even though the cake has much more
total sugar.
- Reduce the germs with brushing and especially flossing daily. If you get rid of enough
germs, even when you do eat the sugar, there will be less acid produced.
- Use fluorides to help strengthen teeth. For children under 12, drink at least 2 cups of
fluoridated water daily or use fluoride tablets prescribed by the dentist. For adults use
prescription strength brush on fluoride products prescribed by the dentist. Daily fluoride
will make your teeth stronger and more resistant to acids.
- Most important is to keep your dental check-ups close together to catch cavities while they
are still small.
For more information on how you can prevent decay, visit this website and
www.DentalCareKids.com or call the
office at 203 324-6171
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