As the best dentist offices in southern Missouri, Access Dental and Dentures can tell you that too much sugar is very bad for the health of your teeth. Sugar feeds the bacteria on and in between your teeth, allowing them to grow and cause decay in the tooth enamel. As enamel erodes, the rest of the tooth will start to decay and cause a lot of dental issues. Keep reading to learn how to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet this summer for healthier teeth!
Eat More Protein
Protein is a necessary nutrient to our diets, and it also helps you feel full for longer. If you feel full throughout the day, you are less likely to feel like snacking on unhealthy treats and sweets. Protein can help diminish your cravings as well, because your body doesn’t feel like it is in need of more nutrients.
Eat Fruits & Vegetables
Fruit contains natural sugars that are significantly better for you than table sugar. Eating a handful of berries or an apple could help satisfy your sweet tooth while also providing good vitamins, minerals, and fiber to your diet. Even better, a lot of fresh, bright fruits are in season in the summer making them easier to find and more healthy to eat.
Vegetables can help keep you fuller for longer because of the high amount of fiber in them. Plus, vegetables will provide the healthy vitamins and minerals your body needs. Both these things help reduce intense cravings for sweet items.
Avoid Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are typically not actually better for you than traditional sugar. While both are bad for your health, artificial sweeteners can cause the signals that control appetite in your brain to get mixed up or ignored. Some sweeteners that are considered “healthy”, like Stevia, actually taste ten times sweeter than the average sweetener. If your taste buds develop an appetite for this sweeter flavor, it is likely that you will crave more of it in higher quantities.
Drink Water
Sometimes the body can get confused and cross its signals. If you are craving something sweet, your body could actually just be dehydrated and in need of water. Drink a large glass of water when you experience unhealthy cravings or hunger outside of mealtime. This could help satisfy your body enough to stop cravings and make it easier to say “no” to the office donuts.
Avoid Stress & Triggers
While avoiding stress is sometimes easier said than done, there are other ways to help your body cope other than eating sweets. A few things you can try to help cope with stress are… meditation, yoga, exercise, crafting, journaling, etc.
Avoid triggers or tempting situations like grocery shopping while hungry, or attending a party on an empty stomach. If you know you will be attending a party where you will be surrounded by a lot of sweets, eat a meal that is high in protein before leaving and make sure you are well hydrated. Chew on a piece of gum during the party to help prevent absent-minded snacking as well.
Your Local Dentist
Access Dental and Dentures is here for you even when the sugar gets out of control and damages your teeth. We can help professionally clean, repair, and whiten your teeth so you have a smile you are truly proud of! Give us a call to learn more and schedule an appointment.
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