Are Sugar Free Drinks Safe for Teeth?

Sugar has been marked as a villain, both for dental and diabetes care. But are the sugar-free substitutes available in the market safe?

- Shantanu Jaradi

Healthy eating is essential for your overall health. Choosing foods and beverages that provide the right amount of energy and nutrients goes a long way toward maintaining not only a healthy body, but also a healthy mouth. To prevent cavities and maintain good oral health, your diet – what you consume and how often you consume – is an important factor. Changes in your mouth start the minute you eat certain foods. Bacteria in the mouth convert sugars and carbohydrates from the foods you eat to acids, and it’s the acids that begin to attack the enamel on teeth, starting the process of decay. The more often you eat, drink and snack, the more frequently you are exposing your teeth to the cycle of decay.

Eating a nutritious diet has many benefits. A well-balanced diet should include foods from the basic food groups and subgroups along with the right oils. Nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals are a staple of healthy diets, but it’s also important to avoid eating too many or too few nutrients.

Fighting sugar