29 Jul How Much Sugar is Hidding in your Trolley

Time to take a closer look at your supermarket purchases.

They’re not as healthy as you might think.

Being healthy is something that most of us aim for.

We brush our teeth twice a day. We go for a jog around the neighbourhood. We eat a handful of nuts instead of chomping on a chocolate. We see our doctor whenever we don’t feel well.

But are you aware that all your good work could be being undone by sugars lurking in the depths of many of the processed food items you consume? Sugar consumption plays an important role in oral health – tooth decay is a diet-related disease. Mouth bacteria turn sugar into acid which attacks the surface of teeth, and over time this can cause tooth decay.

Sugar is everywhere in supermarket staples, even some that might appear to be healthy on the surface, and so this Dental Health Week 3 – 9 August 2020 dentalhealthweek.com.au, we’re pulling back the sugary curtain to show you what’s really in the food you eat, and how this information can help you be healthier all over but especially in your mouth

In other words, we want you to become more “sugar savvy”.

Putney Dental Surgery supports Australian Dental Association’s aims to make everyone aware of the key things they need to do to keep their teeth and gums healthy. You might think that a little extra sugar here and there isn’t such a big deal, but the odds are that you are taking in far more than you realise.

Figures show that the average Australian is consuming 14 teaspoons of sugar a day, a whole lot more than the maximum 6 teaspoons a day recommended by the World Health Organisation

Dr Patel’s three main sugar messages:

•    Consume no more than 6 teaspoons (24 grams) of free sugar per day

•    Choose foods with less than 10 grams of sugar per 100 grams.

To know how many teaspoons, make up a quantity of sugar (grams), divide the amount of sugar by 4.

1 teaspoon of sugar = 4 grams
So, if a drink label advised it contains 20g of sugar, this means it is equal to 5 teaspoons’ worth of sugar.
Example:       20g sugar         = 5 teaspoons of sugar
4g per teaspoon

•    Look out for hidden sugars when purchasing foods and drink

We usually think of sugar as the white granules we spoon into coffee and tea or add to baking recipes.

But sugar comes in many forms and they can all contribute to tooth decay

Some examples  Agave nectar, Brown sugar, Cane juice, Cane sugar, Castor sugar, Coconut sugar, Caramel, Corn syrup, Date sugar Dextrose,Fructose, Fruit juice, Glucose Golden syrup, Molasses, Honey  etc

The closer the ingredient is to the top of the ingredient list, the more of it present in the food or drink.

To help you get within the recommended range, and be healthier; this year’s Dental Health Week is all about showing you what daily sugar consumption level looks like in relation to the food you eat, how to read a food label so you can see what’s really in your food, and how sugar can negatively affect your dental health.

Beyond that, we want to show how easy it is to keep your teeth and gums healthy by following a few simple tips.

Brushing

Dr Patel recommends you need to brush for at least two minutes twice a day, taking care to use a soft-bristled toothbrush (they’re less damaging to your teeth and gums than their harder counterparts) to clean your teeth systematically along all surfaces, always brushing in small, circular motions.

Flossing
Flossing (or using an interdental brush) once a day is important because it removes plaque from between your teeth which goes a long way in helping to prevent gum disease, tooth decay and bad breath.. If you’re not sure about the right technique, ask us at your next visit we can show you all the right flossing moves.

Come and say “Hello!”  during Dental Health Week
65% of Australians have not seen a dentist in the last two years. Don’t be a statistic schedule your appointment today at Putney Dental Surgery

Free Check-up between 1 Aug – 31 Aug -Code Dental Health Week

Eat and drink well
Beyond limiting the sugar you eat, Dr Patel recommends drinking more tap water, avoid snacking between meals, instead sticking to three meals a day and concentrating on the good stuff like vegetables and dairy products. Of course, before you make any major dietary changes, first check with a healthcare professional.

How do we know the average Aussie isn’t giving their dental health the required amount of attention? Australia’s Oral Health Tracker, launched last year and updated in 2020, is a national report card on the health of our mouths and how this impacts how healthy we are overall.  Here is a summary

•     Less than 50% of Australians adults have had a dental check-up in the last 12 months.

•     53% of Australians brush their teeth only once-a-day.

•     Nearly 40% never floss or clean between their teeth.

•     73% of young people (14-18 years) are consuming too much sugar.

•     47% of adults (18+ years) are consuming too much sugar.

You can find out more about how healthy we are and how healthy we’d like to be at ada.org.au/oralhealthtracker

More information and fact sheets are available at Dental Health Week 2020