Reduce sugar to keep teeth healthy. A study from the University of Newcastle, published in the Journal of Dental Research recommends halving your daily sugar consumption to protect our teeth from cavities. For this, it would be necessary to reduce the daily sugar intake from 10 to 5%. This equates to no more than 5 teaspoons of sugar per day.
Since 1990, the WHO has set the limit for free sugar intake at 10%, which includes sugar added by manufacturers and consumers, but also the sugar naturally present in fruit and honey.
A diet that is too sweet
The English researchers legitimize the revision of the WHO recommendations because of the evolution of the diet, way too sweet. “Part of the problem is that sugary foods and drinks are now the staple of people’s diets in developed countries, whereas they used to be an occasional treat for birthdays or Christmas. We need to reverse this trend,” says Paula Moynihan, professor of nutrition and oral health at Newcastle University and author of the study.
And to add: “people should now expect to keep their teeth healthy all their lives and given the effects of sugar on this, limiting the level of sugar on our caloric intake to 5% would minimize dental risk” .
As for fluoride, it is not enough to prevent cavities caused by sugar, the study supports. “Fluoride undoubtedly prevents teeth from being damaged, but does not get rid of the main cause: sugary diets”.
