As dentists here at Honour Health, we see the destructive effect of sugar on patients’ teeth on a regular basis. As far as we’re concerned, the white stuff is definitely not the right stuff!
That’s why why we wholeheartedly support ‘Action on Sugar’ – a special campaign launched by group of UK specialists who are concerned with sugar and its effects on health.
The group is working to reach a consensus with the food industry and the Government over the harmful effects of a high sugar diet and to bring about a reduction in the amount of it in processed foods.
It’s certainly a very timely campaign. The sooner we can cut down on the sugar in our diets, the better, especially as in the UK (according to BBC figures) we’re consuming more than two million tonnes of it every year!
Eating too much of the white stuff leads to tooth decay, because the bacteria in our mouths feast on sugar and produce harmful acids that attack the enamel protecting our teeth.
It’s not just our teeth that suffer either – eating too much sugar can also cause weight gain, leading to a bigger risk of heart disease, liver disease and diabetes.
Often, we don’t even recognise how much we’re taking in, as it lurks in so many savoury items including bread, sauces, and even in supposedly ‘healthy’ foods such as fruit juices, cereals and low fat yoghurts.
With this in mind:
1) On your next visit to the supermarket, check food labels wherever possible, to prevent products with deceptively high sugar content from sneaking into your trolley
2) Next time you visit us, ask your dentist for further advice about how to protect your teeth against the harmful effects of the sweet stuff
3) Find out more about at www.actiononsugar.org, which includes some fascinating facts and figures