SIX REASONS TO CUT DOWN ON SUGAR THIS HALLOWEEN

Sugary treats have become a major part of Halloween celebrations today. Without bite-size chocolate bars, candy corn and penny sweets, a scary celebration doesn’t seem complete. But what impact does all this sugar have on your teeth? In today’s blog, we’re looking at how detrimental a Halloween sugar rush can be and offering dental advice on why you should cut back on the sweet stuff…

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BINGE ON SUGAR?

Six reasons to cut down on sugar this Halloween

The effects of a Halloween sugar binge appear within a few minutes of its consumption. The first part of your body to come under attack is your teeth, as the sugar combines with bacteria to form an acid. Shortly after, you’ll get an energy rush and an increase in blood pressure, quickly followed by a crash – and before you know it, tiredness and irritability set in. Hormonal chaos is yet another symptom of too much sugar, which in turn affects the immune system too.

REASONS TO CUT DOWN ON SUGAR THIS YEAR

For fresher breath

Your breath will actually smell sweeter by ditching the sweet stuff. Sugary treats provide a quick source for bacteria – causing plaque build-up, which doesn’t smell so sweet!

To keep skin looking healthy

Sugar also impacts the look and feel of your skin. Eating too much sugar will leave you with dull, wrinkled skin while deactivating your body’s natural antioxidant enzymes. Sugar is also known to impact acne, because of the hormonal fluctuations it triggers.

To lower your risk of diabetes

Excess sugar intake causes high insulin resistance – which eventually leads to pre-diabetes and later on, diabetes. Diabetes also impacts the health of your teeth by increasing the glucose content of your saliva. In turn, this can encourage oral bacteria to grow.

To prevent tooth decay

Sugar is the main culprit of tooth decay. When you consume sugar, it latches on to your teeth and bacteria begins to eat away at the sugar that coats your teeth. However, as the bacteria consumes the sugar it also produces acid – which attacks the enamel on your teeth. This makes teeth weaker and at risk of cavities and decay and can also lead to yellowing of teeth.

To limit your visits to the dentist

At AP Smilecare, we know that a visit to the dentist isn’t exactly fun. While we encourage all patients to visit once or twice a year, many have to attend more regularly due to poor diet and dental hygiene. By cutting your consumption of sugar, you’re less likely to develop cavities and gum disease. The result: fewer trips to the dentist and a happy, healthy smile.

To prevent an energy slump

If you want to make the most of Halloween night, sugar certainly won’t be your best friend. After a surge of sugar, you’ll find yourself feeling sleepy and sluggish as the sugars decrease the activity of your orexin cells (responsible for energy).

Why not book in for one of our general dentistry services today? You can explore our range of treatments online.