Five sugar swaps for a healthy smile

How does sugar affect your teeth?

Your mouth is home to hundreds of different types of bacteria. These bacteria feed off the sugar in food and drink and use it to make acids. Over time, acids can weaken the protective outer layer of your teeth, called enamel. This can cause tiny holes (cavities) to form in your teeth and lead to tooth decay.

Can you reverse sugar damage to teeth?

In the early stages, tooth decay can be stopped or even reversed. Your saliva, along with fluoride from toothpaste and water (in some areas), helps rebuild enamel through a process called remineralisation. But if you snack frequently, your teeth don’t get enough time to recover from acid attacks. This is why it’s best to limit snacking and give your teeth time to repair. If a hole (cavity) has already formed in your tooth, you’ll need treatment from a dentist to repair it and stop it getting worse.

How much sugar should you have per day?

In the UK, health experts recommend that added or ‘free’ sugars should make up no more than 5% of your daily calories. That’s about 30g of sugar a day for adults, which is around seven teaspoons or sugar cubes.

Free sugars are sugars added to food and drinks, plus those naturally found in honey, syrups, fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies and purees. But the natural sugars in milk, whole fruit and vegetables are healthy in moderation.

Free sugars are often found in:

• biscuits, cakes and pastries
• chocolate and sweets
• sugary breakfast cereals
• fizzy drinks, juices, and smoothies
• flavoured yoghurts
• baked beans

Five simple sugar swaps to protect your teeth

Making small changes to your diet can make a big difference to the health of your teeth. Here are five ways you can limit your sugar intake.

Swap 1: Breakfast

Start by swapping sugary breakfast cereals like frosted flakes and honey or chocolate-coated rice puffs for:

• porridge oats
• wheat biscuits
• wholegrain shredded cereal

If you prefer a slice of toast in the morning, ditch sugary toppings like jam, marmalade, honey and chocolate spread. Instead, opt for:

• mashed avocado
• no added sugar peanut butter

And if you add a teaspoon or two of sugar to your morning cup of tea or coffee, try to cut this out gradually by adding a little less every day.

Swap 2: Drinks

Sugary soft drinks are one of the main sources of free sugars in the UK. To cut down, try:

• swapping fizzy drinks for diet and zero sugar versions and limiting them to mealtimes
• making your own fizzy drinks by mixing sugar-free squash with sparkling water
• limiting fruit juices and smoothies to occasional consumption at mealtimes
• choosing plain water, low-fat milk, or unsweetened tea and coffee instead

Swap 3: Snacks

It’s normal to reach for something sweet when you need an afternoon pick-me up or your tummy starts rumbling in between mealtimes. So, if you’re looking for a healthy snack to replace sugar, try swapping:

• muffins for a fruity teacake
• biscuits for crackers with cheese or hummus
• cakes bars for malt loaf
• sweetened yoghurt for plain yoghurt with fruit

Swap 4: Dessert

If you find yourself craving something sweet after dinner, try these alternatives to satisfy your sweet tooth. Swap:

• ice-cream for frozen yoghurt or mashed frozen fruit
• a slice of cake for a toasted crumpet
• sweets for dried or whole fruit
• white and milk chocolate for dark varieties

Swap 5: Sweetened dairy products

Dairy products can be a great source of calcium, protein and a whole host of other important vitamins and minerals. But some contain lots of added sugars too. Watch out for these by swapping:

• flavoured and sweetened yoghurts for plain natural yoghurt
• split yoghurt pots for low-sugar fromage frais
• pudding or mousse pots for Greek yoghurt
• milkshakes for plain low-fat milk