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> A couple of studies suggested that daily use of a sweetener called stevia could reduce a child’s risk of getting tooth decay, but in another study, children w
by kmoser 4y ago
> A couple of studies suggested that daily use of a sweetener called stevia could reduce a child’s risk of getting tooth decay, but in another study, children who consumed more than 250ml of artificially sweetened drinks a day were even more likely to suffer from toothache than those who drank sugary soft drinks or energy drinks, even after adjusting for levels of tooth brushing and economic privilege
Sugar isn't the only thing that causes tooth decay. Isn't it also the acids in the drink? I'd guess if you currently drink soda flavored with sugar and you're looking to reduce tooth decay, switching to water would be far more effective than switching to an artificially flavored soda.
- tgv 4y agoAcid definitely does. Sugar is bad for your teeth because it feeds bacteria that consume sugar and produce acid. It's the acid that erodes the enamel. The plaque (where these bacteria live) is not influenced by acid, AFAIK. Perhaps there's a dental expert around to enlighten us?
- theshrike79 4y agoAcid wears away the enamel, which allows plaque to get near the actual tooth, which in turn is fuelled by sugar and burrows in to the core of the tooth -> Ow. No acid -> tooth decay has a harder time getting through enamel. Acid, but no sugar -> enamel wears off and tooth decay will eventually get in unless you clean your teeth regularly and/or eat a very low sugar diet (keto-levels).
- Hnrobert42 4y agoMy father, a dentist, told me about a patient of his with horrible teeth. The man was in his 30s and otherwise a beautiful specimen. He was a body builder with a super healthy diet. For breakfast, he only ate a grapefruit and always brushed his teeth afterwards. And that was the problem! The acid softened his enamel and the brushing removed it.
- jakub_g 4y agoYup, brushing teeth directly after eating citrus / drinking orange juice etc. is a known big no-no. Colgate website says to wait 1hr after drinking orange juice, drink water in between, and/or use a toothpaste without sodium laurel sulphate https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/brushing-and-flossing/orange-juice-and-toothpaste-why-they-dont-mix# https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/brushing-and-floss...
- b112 4y agoAnd another hidden one... fries and vinegar, especially if you prefer extra strength (pickling) vinegar.
- mnd999 4y agoSLS is nasty, don’t put it on or in your body at all.
- b3morales 4y agoI have experimented with swishing a little baking soda in water around to neutralize the acid before brushing after coffee (just a rinse, not swallowing it). I have no idea how to measure the effect but it does feel better.
- zackees 4y agoFYI - Sugar alcohol (e.g. xylitol, sorbitol, erythritol) taste just like sugar and the bacteria try to eat it like sugar but can't digest and it halts their growth. The sugar alcohols are either near zero on the glycemic index or actually zero (erythritol). Many sugar alcohols like xylitol are natural and are found in small amounts in the food that we eat. I don't understand why people still use these artificial chemical sugars, when the natural alternatives seem to have lots of health benefits.
- meindnoch 4y agoSugar alcohols are laxative.
- hnbad 4y agoYeah but they're often used in products like chewing gum because of the underlying assumption that you won't normally consume it in quantities where that becomes a problem. I think there's also a label warning that "excessive consumption" can make it act as a laxative.
- Blackthorn 4y agoSome are. I don't think allulose and erythritol ever made me crap.
- Semaphor 4y agoErythritol absolutely has laxative properties, but as usual, it depends on the amount.
- trehalose 4y ago> the bacteria try to eat it like sugar but can't digest and it halts their growth. Some sugar alcohols have antibacterial effects against tooth decay bacteria (e.g. there's some evidence for xylitol and erythritol against streptococci). Some sugar alcohols neither promote nor inhibit their growth (e.g. sorbitol, as far as I'm aware). > I don't understand why people still use these artificial chemical sugars, when the natural alternatives seem to have lots of health benefits. I'm guessing cost has something to do with it. Artificial non-nutritive sweeteners, being hundreds or thousands of times more potent than sugar, can be hundreds of times more expensive per gram than sugar alcohols and still be cheaper to use. Sugar alcohols aren't even as cheap per gram as sugar, nor as potent. I wish that weren't the case :/ (There is also, of course, the side effects of consuming too much. Most people could eat an abnormally large dose of artificial sweeteners without any major immediate gastrointestinal problems. When people eat too much sugar alcohols, they have the kind of problems that made Amazon reviews of sugar-free gummy bears famous...)
- silisili 4y agoThis is basically why I quit eating or drinking anything sugary. Hours later, you can quite literally scrape off nasty white goo with your fingernail. I'm sure neither is healthy, my teeth are browned from coffee, afterall. But I'll take acid over sugar 10/10 times.