Watch Out! Sugar Negatively Affects Your Teeth

Summertime means outdoor adventures, and barbeques.  With those summertime events you may find yourself drinking soda or other sugary drinks.  You may even spend more time enjoying sugary snacks, such as cotton candy, ice cream and other treats from festivals.  While these may all taste good, Dr. Yen Lieu, Natomas dentist, offers friendly advice on how to protect your teeth from sugar.

 

The sugar content that you consume has a big effect on the health of your teeth and gums.  At Orchid Dental Group, we want you to smile big and bright all summertime, even when enjoying your favorite summer activities. When bacteria come into contact with sugar in the mouth, acid is produced, which attacks the teeth for 20 minutes or more—eventually resulting in tooth decay. When tooth decay is not properly treated it can progress and worsen, which might cause you to lose a tooth or require a tooth extraction in Sacramento.

 

Drinking sugar-filled sodas, sweetened fruit drinks, and non-nutritious snacks can take a toll on your teeth.  Foods that contain sugars of any kind can also contribute to tooth decay, but most foods have some type of sugar in them.  Rather than avoiding these foods and drinks altogether, Dr. Yen Lieu, dentist in Natomas, recommends practicing proper oral health care. 

 

Remember to brush your teeth at least twice a day—once in the morning and once at nighttime.  Throughout the day if you cannot brush your teeth after food consumption, try rinsing your mouth out with water to remove the excess food stuck to your teeth.  Flossing is also an important step you should not skip as it can remove the food your toothbrush misses.  Floss is also very easy to carry with you, so that you can remove food caught between your teeth throughout the day.

 

As always, remember to contact Orchid Dental Group to schedule your regular checkup with Dr. Yen Lieu, Sacramento dentist, so that you can maintain a healthy smile all year long.