Tips for healthier teeth, gums and well being
Health Inspired Dentistry Blog
Sugar - the Only Cause of Tooth Decay Wednesday, 03 June 2015
We know that the excessive amount of sugar in western diets isn’t healthy, and now a study from the U.K. has identified sugar as the only cause of tooth decay in children and adults.
That finding implicates all the sugars in our diets, especially those added to food (including beverages) by manufacturers, as well as the sugars found naturally in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit concentrates. The researchers backed up their findings with epidemiology linking sugar consumption with tooth decay across the globe. For instance, during World War II, tooth decay was “hugely reduced” in Japan, but increased after the war when sugar could again be imported. The researchers also reported that only two percent of the people in Nigeria (whose diets contain negligible amounts of sugar) have tooth decay, compared to 92 percent of adults living in the United States.
Combatting tooth decay
To rein in this problem, the researchers from University College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine recommended reducing the amount of sugar in the diet to less than three percent of total calories (that would work out to 60 calories on a 2000 calorie daily diet). Current guidelines from the World Health Organization set a maximum of 10 percent of total calories from sugar with a target of half that amount, five percent.
In addition to its unwelcome effect on teeth, sugar has a negative impact on health in general. Diets high in sugar may predispose some people, especially women, to yeast infections, may aggravate some kinds of arthritis and asthma and may raise triglyceride levels. In people genetically programmed to develop insulin resistance, high-sugar diets may drive obesity and high blood pressure and increase risks of developing type 2 diabetes.
Cutting sugar back to three percent of total calories is a tough goal, but it would have a considerable positive payoff for your teeth – and the rest of your body.
Attend our free special event “Kick the Sugar Habit” on July 8, 2015 from 7pm to 8pm to learn more. Call us at 440-446-9417 to reserve your spot.
Ann Kowalski, Certified Health Coach
Recent Posts
- Healthy Mom, Health Baby!!!!
- For the Health Professional, Part 2: Gum Disease: A Serious Infection of the Body
- FDA identifies “high risk” people of dental amalgam mercury fillings
- The truth about the toxicity of amalgam (silver) fillings
- Apparently, we all need to wear night guards now
- 5 Weird Things You Didn’t know About Your Mouth!
Archives
-
2020
- For the Health Professional, Part 2: Gum Disease: A Serious Infection of the Body
- FDA identifies “high risk” people of dental amalgam mercury fillings
- The truth about the toxicity of amalgam (silver) fillings
- Apparently, we all need to wear night guards now
- 5 Weird Things You Didn’t know About Your Mouth!
- Effects of crooked teeth – and the solution!
- Healthcare professionals urging people to resume checkups
- Creating the Non-Dental Office Experience for Northeast Ohio
- Good dental health is saving Cleveland lives!
- How to whiten your teeth safely
- Healthy nasal passages create nitric oxide that is toxic to viruses
-
2018
- 12 Steps for great December digestion
- Say Yes to Non-Surgical Gum Therapy
- What kind of toothpaste should I be using?
- Why Choose a Female Dentist?
- Claudia Minadeo-Fox DDS celebrates 30 years!
- 10 tips for a flatter stomach from Cleveland Health Coach
- Why choose a woman dentist in Cleveland?
- ATTENTION ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS
- See how you can Save $1000 today!
- Is Sparkling Water Bad for My Teeth?
- Common Dental Barriers; What’s Keeping You From the Dentist
- Choosing Your Local Dentist for Botox and Dermal Fillers
- Cleveland Health Coach Thinking About Your Heart
- Breaking Habits the Right Way
- Integrative Nutrition and Health Coaching
-
2015
- GERD Effects the Health of Your Teeth
- Massage and Cold Weather
- 21 Day Meditation – Become What You Believe
- Ways to Relieve Stress and Relax Your Mind
- Interesting Facts About Vitamin D
- Interesting Facts About Massage Therapy
- The Eight Causes of Cravings
- B12 – the Vitamin for All Ages
- Sugar – the Only Cause of Tooth Decay
- Transform Your Diet Without Radically Altering Your LIfe
- Just One More Reason To Smile! Newsletter – April 2015
- Bone Loss Score May Tip Off Doctors to Gum Disease in Postmenopausal Women
- Know The Risks of Oral Cancer
- Suggestions on How to Restore Your Natural Sleep Rhythm
- Take Control of Your Heart to Take Care of Your Heart
- WHAT’S IN A KISS
- Most & Least Contaminated Produce
- Begin the New Year with a wellness routine! Be sure to include Massage!
-
2014
- 3 Ways to Enjoy Holiday Parties
- Quick and Easy Dental Hygiene
- Acid Reflux – Your Dentist May Notice Before You Do
- Happy Thanksgiving
- Skipping Dental Visits May Impact Sense of Smell
- Thank You For Attending Our “Say Ahh” Event
- 3 Health Benefits of Eating Chocolate
- Mouth Guards Prevent Dental Injuries
- What to pack in your child’s school lunch for the nutritional punch
- Health Benefits of Himalayan Salt Lamps – Holistic Health!
- SAY AHH
- Five Reasons to Scrape Your Tongue Every Day:
- Highland Heights Green Task Force
- Four Spring Cleaning Tips for a Healthy Mouth
- Dental Health Month
- Happy New Year from Everyone on Our Team!