SUGAR AND ACID

Foods

Eating sugary, sticky food increases your risk of tooth decay. This is because the bacteria in dental plaque feed on the sugar in your mouth to produce acid that attacks tooth enamel. This interactive presentation explains the effects of sugar on your body.

Be aware that food that is high in carbohydrates, like pasta, breaks down to sugar. And watch out for food that can stick to your teeth, like bread. For more information, see Simple tips to make better food choices for your teeth (PDF) .

Sugar can appear in many forms, and with various names. Here’s a list of many of the alternate names for sugar to help you identify it on ingredient statements:

Agave nectar
 Corn sweetener
 Galactose
 Muscovado sugar
Anhydrous dextrose
 Corn syrup
 Glucose
 Palm sugar
Barbados sugar
 Corn syrup solids
 Glucose solids
 Panela sugar
Barley malt
 Crystalline fructose
 Golden sugar
 Panocha
Barley malt syrup
 D-ribose
 Golden syrup
 Powdered sugar
Beet sugar
 Date sugar
 Grape sugar
 Raw sugar
Blackstrap molasses
 Dehydrated cane juice
 HFCS (High-Fructose Corn Syrup)
 Refiner's syrup
Brown rice syrup
 Demerara sugar
 Honey
 Rice syrup
Brown sugar
 Dextrin
 Icing sugar
 Sorghum syrup
Buttered syrup
 Dextrose
 Invert sugar
 Sucanat
Cane juice
 Diastatic malt
 Lactose
 Sucrose
Cane juice crystals
 Diglycerides
 Liquid fructose
 Sugar (granulated)
Cane sugar
 Ethyl maltol
 Malt syrup
 Sweet Sorghum
Caramel
 Evaporated cane juice
 Maltodextrin
 Syrup
Carob syrup
 Florida crystals
 Maltol
 Treacle
Castor sugar
 Free-flowing brown sugars
 Maltose
 Turbinado sugar
Coconut palm sugar
 Fructose
 Mannose
 Yellow sugar
Coconut sugar
 Fruit juice
 Maple syrup
Confectioner's sugar
 Fruit juice concentrate
 Molasses

Drinks

Soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, alcohol and even fruit juice contain high amounts of sugar and acid that can damage your teeth. Each sip causes an acid attack that lasts 20 minutes, causing damage to your tooth enamel, which can lead to cavities and increased tooth sensitivity. Energy drinks contain high amounts of acid but even sugar-free drinks contain acid, including plain carbonated water.

Get tips to reduce the effects of sugary and acidic drinks on your oral health.

More information

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