Bloomsburg, Danville, and Lewisburg, PA
Sweets are treats that send a satisfaction surge to our brains when we eat them. Whether you enjoy milk chocolate, sour gummies, or cake, it can be challenging to pass up the temptation. But unfortunately, foods and beverages high in sugar can dramatically affect your oral and overall health and wellness. Our Bloomsburg family dentists at Hamilton Dental Care share on the blog today what your sweet tooth has to do with your health. Plus, we’ll share some ways to keep your mouth and your body healthy.
How do sweets affect my health?
Sugar is a natural food source that can harm your health when you consume it frequently. For example, eating a bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce every night before bed can dramatically increase your weight and oral bacterial activity, especially if you don’t brush your teeth before you go to sleep. In addition, when you frequently consume foods and beverages with high sugar content, you continuously bathe your teeth in enamel-destroying sugars and acids, resulting in advanced conditions that require more time and money to repair. Lastly, when you overload your body with sugar, and it fails to process it fast enough, it results in weight gain.
What may happen if I don’t reduce sweets?
Consuming sweets too often can be extremely hazardous to your health. For example, excessive weight can cause other health risks such as cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, diabetes, and chronic inflammation. Additionally, your oral health can deteriorate over time because your mouth doesn’t have a moment when bacteria aren’t attacking tooth enamel, especially when you have poor oral health habits. Our Bloomsburg area family dentists explain that once oral bacteria enter the bloodstream, it’s easily carried throughout the body and can increase your risk of other ailments like cardiovascular disease. So, your smile and overall health are at risk when you eat or drink sugar-laden foods and beverages too often.
How can I reduce sugar’s impact on my health?
Reducing your sugary food or drink consumption is an excellent first step. For example, if you drink orange juice for breakfast, a soda with lunch, and a cocktail after dinner, reduce the number to one meal a day and substitute water for the other two meals. In addition, snagging sweet treats throughout the day can lead to tooth decay and weight gain. So, when your sweet tooth strikes, look for healthy sweet alternatives like fresh fruit. Fortunately, some sweet treats contain sweeteners that don’t impact your blood sugar, weight, or oral health as severely as sugar. For example, Lily’s chocolate chips include Stevia, and Russell Stover’s chocolate varieties include a xylitol and Stevia mix. So, you can protect your oral and overall health more effectively when you reduce sugar consumption and replace the little bit left with an ingredient that doesn’t impact your weight or smile as much as sugar does.
How do I know how much damage sugar is causing?
A key component for optimal health and wellness is regularly visiting your primary care physician and discussing your health concerns. While visiting your doctor, it’s best to be open and honest about your sweet tooth issues so that you can work together to develop a plan to overcome the sugar addiction. Then, your doctor can share your current physical health and how to approach and improve things. Like your primary care physician, it’s vital to visit our Bloomsburg dental office once every six months for a checkup and cleaning. During your visit, we’ll conduct a complete oral examination to determine your health status and outline possible treatments to prevent advancing conditions. You can reduce other health risks by involving your primary care physician and your dentist in your efforts to reduce sugar consumption and restore your health.
Family Dentists in Bloomsburg, Danville, and Lewisburg, PA
Sugar can bring much delight to birthday parties and holiday celebrations. However, even though our brains and taste buds rejoice when we eat it, excess sugar is bad for oral and overall health. Fortunately, by making conscious decisions about how much sugar you consume, speaking with your doctor, and consulting with our Bloomsburg area family dentists, you can reduce sugar’s impact on your smile and your figure. To find out more about sugar and its effects on your smile or to schedule a consultation at Hamilton Dental Care, please call (570) 387-0533 or contact us online.