One of the most common ways one develops cavities is by consuming sweets. A London-based dentist revealed how you can enjoy your favorite sweets without having to worry about getting cavities.
TikTok user Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri (@drshaadimanouchehri) is a dentist who posts content about “helping you look after your teeth” for her 285,000 followers.
“Eating sweets is literally dissolving your enamel, and this what you need to do minimize the effect,” she says, while chewing on gummy bears.
She starts by explaining how sweets destroy teeth.
“Anytime we eat anything sweet, bacteria in our mouth is also going to feed off the sugar and create an acid,” she says. “And that acid is literally going to dissolve the enamel which is a mineral.”
However, because of the saliva in our mouths, she says it can neutralize the acid which takes between 36-60 minutes to occur. “This is also why you should never brush your teeth after eating sweets,” she says, encouraging viewers to wait an hour before brushing.
Furthermore, Manouchehri explains how it’s not about how much sugar you consume. It’s about how often you consume sugar.
“It’s the number of acid attacks you have in a day,” she says. “We recommend minimizing it to no more than two to three acid attacks a day.”
Another recommendation the content creator has is to drink water straight after eating sugar. “Try to drink some water to help neutralize the acids quicker and also help clear the sticky sugary things from the surface of your teeth quicker,” she says.
In addition to water, cheese is another good method to neutralize the acid. “You should also follow up with something like cheese which can help neutralize the acid quicker,” she adds.
Manouchehri wraps up the video by sharing how fluoride toothpaste and flossing make the teeth stronger, which can help prevent cavities.
@drshaadimanouchehri #dentist #dentistry #ukdentist #usdentist #londondentist #fypシ #teethbrushing #oralhealtheducation #dentok #dentaltok #marylebonedentist #learnontiktok #funfacts #oralhygienetips #funfacts #invisalign #teethwhitening ♬ original sound – Dr Shaadi Manouchehri
The Daily Dot reached out to Manouchehri via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment. Her video racked up 685,000 views, and viewers shared how they are currently paying the price for eating too much sugar.
“I ate lots of sweets growing up and now im paying the price! Lots of dental work,” one viewer wrote.
“I wish someone told me this like 5 years ago,” a second stated.
“Oh gosh I’m in so much trouble I hate that info,” a third remarked.
How sugar ruins the teeth
Indeed, Dr. Manouchehri hit the nail on the head. Sugar creates an enamel-eating acid that attracts bad bacteria. As a result, it destroys gums and causes cavities. It’s advised that women not consume more than 25 grams of sugar and men not consume more than 37.5 grams. Moreover, brushing one’s teeth after consuming sugar can damage the enamel and spread the sugar across the mouth.
Can chocolate and fruit ruin teeth?
In addition, viewers asked the dentist if other snacks, such as chocolate and fruit, have the ability to cause cavities. “Are sweets worse for your teeth than chocolate?” one user inquired.
“Does eating fruits count as one of the acid attacks?” another questioned.
Yes, according to Portman Dental Care, chocolate can harm the teeth due to the amount of sugar it contains. Not only does it cause tooth decay and cavities, but it also weakens an already fragile enamel. Fruits, on the other hand, only cause teeth problems when eaten in excess because of how acidic they can be, according to Colgate. The most acidic fruits, according to Delta Dental, are “lemons, limes, oranges, pineapples, grapefruits and grapes.” Other foods and drinks that cause cavities, according to Kimball and Beecher, are “fruit juices, sports drinks, energy drinks, coffee, hard and chewy candies, and alcohol.”
How to prevent cavities
The easiest ways to prevent cavities are by drinking lots of water, brushing your teeth twice a day, rinsing your mouth with water after eating, and scheduling regular dentist appointments.
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