Sugar

[Nik37Damon3BDay9Feb08]

I forgot to ask my ortho this - does anyone drink sugar in their beverages here? I've read all the discussion about coffee staining ligatures etc. but I cut out coffee because I have one sugar in it (unlike tea which I drink without).

I need all the calories I can get though as I am a bit on the small side. Is it alright to have the sugar?

[PaperandInk]

I have my braces for almost a month. Last week I received the lower ones. All metal. After asking the very same question as you about sugar, I would say it's ok...

That said, I don't drink coffee, but I know that coffee and tea have both been known to stain teeth.

[Lisa65]

The problem with sugary food and drink is that sugar feeds your oral bacteria and encourages the growth of plaque. The bacteria living in the plaque give off acid as a waste product and this acid is what causes tooth decay.

Having braces provides more little nooks and crannies for plaque to form if you are not really stringent with brushing and flossing, and everytime you have a sugary drink or snack, the plaque bacteria get another meal.

That's why the eating or drinking of sugary food is discouraged when you're wearing braces. A sugary snack will feed your oral bacteria for about 20 minutes. So it's better to consume a lot of sugar in one sitting than to have a little bit several times a day. If you only have one or two cups of sweet coffee then rinsing your mouth with water soon afterwards to wash away any reminaing sugar should minimise any potential damage. But if you drink a lot of sweet tea, coffee, pop etc then you are almost certain to have demineralisation (white spots on the teeth which a precursor to cavities) round your brackets after debracing.

[skintz]

I was told to give up sugar in my tea by the hygienist yesterday, she said sweetener in drinks is ok cos it doesn't attack the teeth like sugar.

[Jex]

I can't have aspartame or sucralose. They give me memory loss and terrible headaches. I have to admit I hadn't thought about the impact these braces will have on my dietary life. I may have to go for that Xylitol sweetener. So much to change!

[skintz]

I said to the hygienist about swishing with water after eating/drinking sugary things and she said all it does it get rid of any debris. It doesn't actually neutralise the pH of the teeth so the sugar will still continue to attack the teeth even after rinsing with water

[kittymeow84]

I always swish with water after my coffee.

Coffee gives you the WORST breath - horrid! So after a few gulps of water I quickly suck on a sugar free mint.

Do you guys think mints are good for your teeth if they contain nothing but artificial sweetener, binders and peppermint flavouring?

[retainerjoe]

i was in braces 2121 days , an i'm a HARDCORE sweet tea an mellow yellow drinker , i brushed an or swished water after drinking suger , an not one spot or cavity after over five years in treatment, however that was me an some people are prone to cavitys , i don't other than i'm 50 an never had a cavity, even with wearing braces that long ,

[regulering17]

The hygenist told me to CUT DOWN excessively on my sugar intake. Not that I have that much really. I hardly drink soda though, but candy is defenetely a weakness. To avoid those white spots I was told to rinse twice a day with flouride mouth rinse. Which I do. I think the spotting really depends from person to person. I really I won't get it...