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Sugar doesn’t have to be bad for your teeth

We’re usually told we need to avoid sugar if we want a perfect smile and clean, white teeth. But not all sugars are the enemy of oral health. Some sugars can protect our teeth. Adding specific Dr Coy’s sugars to our food, drinks and toothpaste can actually benefit our teeth and gums.

Good oral hygiene isn’t only about brushing and flossing our teeth. Diet matters too. Limiting the classic sugars found in fizzy drinks, cakes and sweets and reducing the glucose-starch helps us avoid cavities, gum disease and tooth loss.

Why is it so difficult to cut out the classic sugars that damage our teeth?

Sometimes our teeth feel furry after eating or drinking something sugary. This is triggered by plaque, which contains acid-causing bacteria which attack tooth enamel and cause decay.

But cutting back on classic sugars isn’t easy, especially since it’s often hidden in foods you might not think of as sweet. Sugar releases feel-good chemicals in our brain and gives us a rush of energy, so the more we have, the more we want. Trying to cut out sugar can cause tiredness and headaches, so again, we’re tempted to eat more. And adverts for convenient, sugary drinks and snacks are everywhere! It’s hard to avoid.

With Dr Coy’s sugars, we don’t have to cut out sugar

Dr Coy’s sugars are a healthier alternative that provide sweetness without harming our teeth.

Galactose:

Galactose has been shown to stop plaque forming on the teeth, protect tooth enamel, and reduce the risk of decay and gum disease. It does this, because galactose cannot be used for fermentation metabolism, which leads to lactic acid. Therefore, the acid is not being produced by bacteria and tooth decay is prevented.

Tagatose:

Tagatose prevents fermentation to lactic acid and helps preserve minerals that keep teeth strong. Bacteria can’t convert tagatose to the acids that attack the tooth enamel. Research demonstrates that tagatose could even prevent and remove dental plaque. In the colon tagatose is being used by good bacteria (e.g. bifido bacteria) as a fuel and these bacteria produce the healthy acid butyrate, which inhibits inflammation in the colon.

Isomaltulose:

Isomaltulose also helps to preserve tooth mineralisation. Like sucrose, isomaltulose consists of glucose and fructose. The only, but important, difference is the chemical connection between glucose and fructose. Whereas the chemical connection between glucose and fructose is being cleaved very fast by our digestive enzymes, the connection between glucose and fructose in isomaltulose is being digested very slowly. Due to this, the digestion of isomaltulose and the concomitant blood glucose is much slower than sucrose. Bacteria in the mouth cannot cleave the connection between glucose and fructose present in isomaltulose and as a result they cannot digest isomaltulose. Isomaltulose cannot be used by mouth bacteria to produce acid and therefore isomaltulose protects our teeth from decay and damage to tooth enamel.

The EFSA has confirmed the effect of tagatose and isomaltulose on protecting teeth against tooth decay:

Consumption of drinks containing tagatose and isomaltulose instead of sugar, contributes to the maintenance of tooth mineralization” (The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA))

Replacing normal sugar or adding Dr Coy’s sugars to your diet to promote oral health

  • Quench thirst with soft drinks containing Dr Coy’s sugars to counteract the negative effects of classic sugars.
  • Add Dr Coy’s sugars to water or organic fruit beverages for extra sweetness.
  • Combine Dr Coy’s tooth friendly sugars with sweeteners, such as those containing erythritol and erythritol-stevia, as these don’t trigger plaque acids and increase your risk of tooth decay.
  • Kids got a sweet tooth? Dr Coy’s sugar snacks curb cravings while protecting their teeth. (Find out more about Dr Coy’s sugars for children)
  • Endurance athlete? Mix your sports drink with Dr Coy’s sugars to protect against prolonged exposure to tooth-damaging sugars. (Find out more about Dr Coy’s sugars and sports)

Our recipes page is packed with ideas for incorporating Dr Coy’s sugars into your diet.

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Further reading on Dr Coy’s sugars and dental health

Get in touch with Intelligent Sugar

Got a question about Dr Coy’s sugars? Contact info@intelligentsugar.info

If you have a question about a specific health condition, please speak to your doctor.

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