It’s Dental Health Week!

Each year the Australian Dental Association’s major annual oral health campaign takes place in the first full week of August. The focus of this year’s campaign is on the harm sugar does to oral health, aiming to help Australians to ‘get sugar savvy’. The campaign includes recommended daily sugar consumption levels, advice on reading food labels, and spells out the effect sugar has on our teeth.  This information is reinforced with three main sugar messages:
 
1. Consume no more than 6 teaspoons (24 grams) of free sugar per day as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Sugar has a terrible reputation, but it’s not all bad. As a matter of fact, sugar in the form of carbohydrates is the natural fuel source for exercise. But as we know–not all sugar is created equal.

What’s the difference between added and natural sugar?

When we think of sugar we probably think of added sugar which is found in products like soft drinks, chocolate and breads. Eating too much added sugar can cause cavities, an increased risk of heart disease and obesity, which can lead to additional health problems like Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure.

Natural sugars, on the other hand, are inherently found in certain foods. Any food that contains carbohydrates, such as fruit, dairy products, vegetables, and whole grains, has natural sugar. While a bottle of soft drink and a banana both have sugar in them, the natural sugar in the banana is paired with other nutrients and provides more of a nutritional bang for your buck.

2. Choose foods with less than 10 grams of sugar per 100 grams.

A smart shopper will not only be price savvy when doing their weekly grocery shop, they’ll also read food labels. Have a look at food labels and be discerning when choosing which foods are going to make it make it home with you. Pay particular attention to sauces, things like barbecue (BBQ) sauce can make a tasty marinade or dip. However, 2 tablespoons (around 28 grams) of sauce can contain around 9 grams of sugar. This is over 2 teaspoons worth. In fact, around 33% of the weight of BBQ sauce may be pure sugar. If you’re liberal with your servings, this makes it easy to consume a lot of sugar without meaning to. To make sure you aren’t getting too much, check the labels and choose the sauce with the least amount of added sugar. 

3. Look out for hidden sugars when purchasing foods and drinks.

While we might think that some foods are safe, think again, here are a list of everyday foods we may need to look out for if we’re reducing our sugar intake:

• Pasta Sauce
• Yoghurt
• Salad Dressing
• Breakfast Cereals
• Energy Drinks
• Dried Fruit
• Iced Tea

Eating too much sugar is really bad for your health. It has been linked to an increased risk of many diseases, including obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. There are multiple ways to access sugar information as part of Dental Health Week this year. A visit to your dentist is great for face-to-face advice where your questions can be answered. We look forward to seeing you!