Sugar is known for its harmful effects on your teeth. It reacts to the natural bacteria in your mouth to become acidic. This acid can then erode your enamel, the outer layer of your teeth, putting your smile at risk of many dental dangers.
Though the threat to your smile seems clear, it is harder than you might guess to cut sugar from your diet. Your dentist can help you come up with a preventative dental care plan to preserve the well-being of your teeth. Read on to find advice from your dentist on lowering the amount of sugar you consume and protecting your dental health.
Tips to Cut Sugar from Your Diet
Eliminate Added Sugar Content
If you want to address the amount of sugar in your diet, you should pay attention to the foods you eat. Note how much sugar you add to your drinks and meals on a regular basis. An easy way to visualize this is to start a log of the foods you consume along with their sugar content.
You can cut a significant amount of sugar right out of the gate by getting rid of excess sugar. Examples include the spoonfuls you may add to your cup of coffee or tea. Try avoiding high-sugar food items like sodas as well to majorly lower the sugar in your diet. These small efforts can make a huge difference when it comes to your oral health.
Adjust Your Recipes
You have a great deal of control over what goes into your food when you cook for yourself. Review your recipes and take a look at the sugar that they ask for. You can often remove half or even three-quarters of the recommended sugar amount without impacting the taste of your meal.
Some people may want to replace sugar in their recipes as well with alternatives like vanilla or almond extract. You can also try experimenting with spicier flavors like cinnamon or nutmeg. Making these adjustments to a recipe, especially when baking, can help you avoid cavities and other dental problems that may leave lasting damage to your smile.
Prepare for Cravings
When you eat less sugar, you might find yourself craving sweetness in its absence. When this occurs, it can be tempting to cave into these cravings and consume sugar once again. You should prepare for this possibility and have alternative snacks available to curb your desire for sugary treats.
Good options include nuts or dried fruits. Choose snacks like these and pay attention to the ingredients, especially the sugar content, the next time you go grocery shopping. Stocking these foods displays your commitment to your health improvement rather than admitting weakness.
When you take these precautions, you can better adhere to healthy eating habits. Then you can keep your smile looking and feeling its best. You can save time and money when you make this type of effort because you can lower your risk for dental emergencies.