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Healthier Teeth with Healthier Sugar Alternatives

Holiday is the part of the year that is associated with joy, foods, friends and family. During this time, you may think about having and sharing sugary treats with your friends and family, but then you think about the disasters the sugar can do to your oral and dental health. This is due to the fact that sugar can result in tooth decay and gum disease.

While you may be able to prevent sugar from doing the damage by having it in moderation, you can go for a better option by picking the healthier sugar alternatives. Having that said, there are a few alternatives that are worth discussing.

1. Stevia

Stevia is an all-natural sweetener which is prepared from green leaf part of the Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni shrub. This herb belongs to South America. This sweetener has zero-calories and it is 400 times sweeter than normal sugar. It means that you are going to have to use it in much lesser amount in order to achieve the sweetness of your choice in the dessert.

2. Splenda®

This sweetener is based on sucralose which is an artificial sweetener and it is 600 times sweeter than sugar. It contains no calories.

3. Xylitol

Xylitol is a naturally-occurring substance which is found in fruits and vegetables. This substance is low on glycemic index, is a non-GMO, can be used in the baking or foods, and contains 40% less calories than normal sugar. This substance is known well for helping in the prevention of cavities and gum disease. It is typically included in the sugar-free chewing gums.

4. Erythritol

Erythritol is mainly prepared from the cornstarch and it is 70 – 80 percent as sweet as normal sugar. There are many sugary treats prepared on the commercial level using this sweetener.

5. Pure Maple Syrup

One of the best alternatives of sugar is the pure maple syrup. This sweetener is known for its unique flavor. It is mainly prepared by heating the sap of maple tree. What’s more amazing is that it contains a lot of vitamins and minerals. It contains essential vitamins such as thiamin and pantothenic. Moreover, it is loaded with the minerals such as potassium, copper, manganese, zinc, iron, and calcium. It also contains carbohydrates. This is the reason that it can still be a food for oral bacteria; and, hence, it can cause tooth decay. Generally, it is a healthier alternative of sugar.

Do not consume too much

Although sugar-free sweetener do not cause tooth decay and other oral health problems, they can still cause side effects. For instance, many people complain about headache due to the consumption of these sweeteners. Therefore, you need to make sure that you consume these sweeteners in moderation.

Moreover, you need to make sure that you visit your dentist regularly to keep your oral health in good shape. Not consuming conventional sugars doesn’t prevent you from being exposed to the dental health risks.

Common Reasons for Dry Mouth

Dry mouth may not seem like a bigger problem but the matter of fact is that it can be highly dangerous for your oral as well as your overall health. Dry mouth is usually caused by lack of saliva in the mouth.

When there is no saliva, you will not be able to get the food debris and bacteria to be washed away from your mouth. It means that dry mouth can certainly lead you to have cavities and other oral health problems. Here, we are going to discuss what cause mouth dryness and how you can avoid it.

1. Side effects of medicines

There are many types of medications which can result in mouth dryness as a side effect. These are not the prescription medicines only. You can also get your mouth dried out as a result of having some over-the-counter medicines. Some infamous medications in this regard include antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and pain medications. If you are using these medicines and feeling your mouth to be dried out, you can talk to your doctor about the alternatives.

2. Use of alcohol and tobacco

Alcohol may seem like a liquid but it actually dries out your mouth. It basically inhibits the production of saliva by affected salivary glands. Moreover, tobacco consumption can also result in the dry mouth as it affects the blood circulation of the mouth in general. The toxins contained by tobacco can cause salivary glands to stop working.

Your best bet is to stop consumption of alcohol and tobacco because both of these items do not do any good to your oral and overall health. Additionally, the consumption of these items can result in serious mood swings.

3. Dehydration

It is a matter of common sense that you get the mouth dryness when your body runs out of the water. If you feel that you have dry mouth, you can first work on hydrating yourself. If you do not pay attention to this condition, you can have fever, vomiting and unusual sweating which can dehydrate you further. Therefore, you will first have to make sure that you have good water intake to avoid dehydration. The best thing you can do is to drink at least 8 glasses full of water daily. This is the minimum requirement. Ideally, you need to keep an eye on your body requirements. This way, you will be able to drink water before getting thirsty.

Dental visit is necessary

Make sure that you visit your dentist on regular basis. Your mouth is the entry point of your body. It can reflect the status of your overall health along with the issues it may have individually. Your dentist is an expert in identifying several oral and overall health problems through your mouth. Therefore, you have to make sure that you are not missing any dental visit.