We have often heard from our elders that sugar is not good for our teeth. But do we know why they say so? What are the reasons behind the statement?

Every child likes chocolates, pastries, cakes, jellies that all are of sugar. They are unaware of the fact what sugar will do to their teeth because it’s not the sugar itself that does the damage, but rather the chain of events that takes place after eating the sugary items.

Dr. Sachin Mittal gives detailed information on how sugar affects your teeth and how you can prevent tooth decay.

The mouth is a battle line where different bacteria attacks on the teeth. The harmful bacteria produce acid whenever they encounter sugar. This acidic medium removes minerals from the shiny, protective, outer layer of your tooth called Tooth enamel. This process of removing minerals is called as Demineralization.

But surprisingly, remineralization occurs naturally by your saliva. It helps in restoring minerals like calcium and phosphate maintains the strength of teeth. But, the repeated cycle of acid attacks causes a great mineral loss in the enamel. This weakens and destroys the enamel, forming a cavity.

If a cavity is not treated on time, it can lead to inner damage to tissue and can cause pain and loss in teeth also.

Tooth enamel can be remineralized by following these simple habits:

1. Lower down the sugary content because many studies have found that the frequent consumption of sweets and sugary drinks leads to cavities.

2. Avoid Sticky foods like candies, jellies, and lollipops. They give plenty of time to harmful bacteria for digesting the sugar and causing an acid attack.

3. Brushing at least twice per day is an important step in preventing cavities and tooth decay.

4. Chewing sugar-free gum may also prevent plaque build-up by stimulating saliva production and remineralization.

5. Use toothpaste containing fluoride for remineralization.

6. Visit the dentist every six months for keeping your teeth and gums healthy.