Sugary foods in small doses may be fairly harmless, but a diet high in sugar can certainly lead to dental problems. You may remember as a kid your parents warned you that eating sweets would rot your teeth, but it’s not the sugar itself that can compromise a healthy mouth, but rather plaque. When you consume foods high in sugar such as candy or fruits, the bacteria in your mouth breaks down these carbohydrates which combine with the saliva in your mouth to produce plaque. This plaque builds up after each meal unless it’s brushed away.
Another problem that often gets overlooked is hard candy; the sugar itself can cause issues as we discussed earlier, but the hard candy being crunched can lead to enamel breaking down or even bigger emergencies such as a chipped tooth. It’s better to avoid this type of sweet and swap it out for something softer.
