Dental Health week is a special time of the year as we get the opportunity to bring awareness to the importance of oral health.

This year, we have decided to highlight a few household products which might contain more sugar than you may think. For this reason, your oral hygiene is so important to maintain as you could be consuming hidden sugars you are not aware of.

DENTAL HEALTH WEEK 2020

Dental Health Week is a campaign led by the Australian Dental Association to generate awareness on maintaining good oral hygiene.

This year, the annual campaign will run from Monday August 3 until Sunday August 9. It is a time to remind us to look at good oral hygiene practices to prevent oral conditions such as:

• Tooth decay
• Gum disease
• Other linked health issues

HIDDEN SUGAR IN YOUR CUPBOARD

As you know, life can get busy and you may not be able to spend as much time as you would like to really assess what you are consuming.

According to the Australian Dental Association, our daily sugar limit is around 24 grams which is equivalent to 6 teaspoons. Therefore, hidden sugar within food may increase our daily sugar limit quickly if we are not careful.

We all love a snack every now then, but what if you are indulging in a little more than you expect?

We have outlined several items you may have in your cupboard which contain sugar you may not be aware of.

Granola or muesli bars

Granola or muesli bars are a great snack you may enjoy at work or your child may have for their school lunch. They are a quick to go snack that is easily accessible in the supermarket.

However, flavoured bars such as chocolate will most likely have a higher sugar count which may increase sugar levels to around 8 to 12 grams.

Furthermore, muesli bars may also include added sweeteners such as dextrose, honey or corn syrup which contain a large quantity of sugar.

Salad dressing

Salad is a healthy food choice but for some it may seem plain and boring. As a result, you may choose to put salad dressing over the top to add some flavour to it.

Salad dressing such as French, Catalina and vinaigrette usually contain the most sugar. In fact, they may contain anywhere from 5 to 7 grams within 2 tablespoons servings.

Dried fruit

Dried fruit are another product which you may think is healthy at first but usually contains more sugar than you think.

We have analysed a several popular dried fruit options and included the average amount of sugar in them based on a 1 cup ratio. These fruits include:

• Peaches – 67 grams
• Apples – 49 grams
• Apricots – 15 grams
• Dated – 13 grams every 3 dates

Coleslaw

Whether you are eating coleslaw with your lunch, dinner or as a side option with KFC, coleslaw also contains a small amount of added sugar.

A regular sized coleslaw may contain up to 15 grams of sugar. You may not notice it, but it does add a little bit of a punch.

HOW TO MAINTAIN OUR ORAL HEALTH

Your oral health is important so we have provided some tips to help you maintain it.

Brush and floss your teeth

You may hear this a lot, but this is an essential practice you should do every day to maintain good oral health.

We recommend brushing your teeth 2 times per day and flossing your teeth once a day or after a meal. This helps reduce the risk of plaque build up within your mouth and enhances your smile.

Plaque becomes more tenacious and grows faster after the ingestion of sugar. This results in higher incidence of caries when sugar is consumed in large amounts and high frequency.

Regular dental check ups

During your regular check up, your dentist will be able to assess your current oral health and identify any issues that may occur. In addition, you will also receive a thorough clean of your teeth.

Your dentist will also be able to monitor and treat any issues that may arise. From a dentist perspective, you should visit your dentist every six months to enhance your oral health.

Read the label

If you are unsure about how much sugar or other ingredients are in a product, read the nutrition label first. Therefore, you will understand what you are about to put into your body. Furthermore, you can visit the website of the product to gain further insight.

DENTAL IMPLANTS & AESTHETICS GOLD COAST

If you would like more information about Dental Health Week 2020, visit the Australian Dental Association’s website. They have a variety of valuable resources for your convenience.

If you would like to book in for a treatment or to consult with Dr Franck Page, contact our friendly staff today. Alternatively, you can book an appointment online, 24/7.