Sugar and Teeth 2

Sugar is one of the few things that everybody knows is bad for your teeth. Some people imagine that the actual product itself ruins your teeth, but this is false. Sugar feeds the bacteria in your mouth that then overproliferate and secrete acidic byproducts that eat away at the enamel of your teeth and at the tooth structures themselves, causing tooth decay and cavities. Sugar is otherwise bad for your health because it raises your blood pressure, causes diabetes, and is extremely addictive. Please also be aware that not all sugars are the sweet, crystalline substance we know and love: most sugars are carbs of other hues and varieties, like grains and flour and refined cornstarch, and all of these cause cavities because they feed bacteria.
But not all alternatives to sugar are equal, as some artificial sweeteners also have negative health effects. Here is a list of ones that are safe to use instead of sugar

artificial sweetener

Artificial Sweeteners: Xylitol


This type of sugar that is extracted from birch trees has a very low glycaemic index (11 to be precise), and so does not feed bacteria in the same way that sugar does. Bacteria cannot ferment this kind of sugar, and so they cannot live off of it. It is just as sweet as sugar and causes no rise in the blood pressure upon consumption. Aside from not feeding bacteria, this kind of sugar is actually good for teeth, as it binds with calcium to strengthen the tooth enamel, and so has been added to various kinds of chewing gum recently.

Artificial Sweeteners: Erythritol


This sugar is usually found in alcohol, and tons of sweet fruits have this in them. It is low calorie, and what’s great about it is that 90% of its compounds are excreted into the urine and go through the body unchanged and unabsorbed. It is very resistant to heat, and is thus an additive in many baked goods and baking powders. It has no negative effect on teeth at all.

Artificial Sweeteners: Stevia


Although still being tested in many countries, the FDA has approved this product for human consumption, and it is regarded as safe to eat. Stevia is not digested at all, and tastes just like sugar. 

 

For the previous part of this article click here please!

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