What Sugar Really Does to Your Smile

You may already know that sugar isn’t good for your waistline, but it’s also a leading cause for destroying your teeth. Here’s how it occurs: In your mouth resides a mass of bacteria (generally harmless until you give them something to eat). When you consume sugar, the bacteria in your mouth consume it and convert it into acids. 

Those acids begin eating away at the enamel (the hard outer covering of your teeth). Over time, that results in cavities. It’s not just the quantity of sugar you consume, but also the frequency. Every time you eat something sweet, you are starting an “acid attack” that lasts maybe 20-30 minutes, during which your enamel is under stress.

Studies also show there is a relatively strong correlation between sugar consumption and the number of missing, decayed, or filled teeth an individual develops.

The current advice is from public health groups that free sugars (added sugars plus sugars that are found in syrups, honey, and fruit juice) should be limited to reduce the risk of dental caries (the fancy word for cavities/decay). The World Health Organization recommends keeping them below 10% of your total daily energy intake and ideally below 5%.

So when you pour a bowl of sugary cereal, you’re giving those enamel-busting acid attacks a head start.

Top 5 Cereals that are Especially Bad for your Teeth

These are cereals that are high in sugar (or notorious for being high in sugar). If you eat them frequently, your teeth will likely suffer. (Note: the sugar content can change from country to country/recipe to recipe, so always check your local label.)

1. Kellogg’s Honey Smacks

This is a one-of-a-kind (or infamous) story. In some versions, it has been found to contain over 50% sugar by weight.

2. Post Golden Crisp

Another cereal that appears in EWG’s “Hall of Shame” list because it contains more than 50 percent sugar by weight.

3. Malt-O-Meal Berry Flavored Cereals (with Marshmallows, etc.)

Some of their sweet / berry varieties have made the unhealthiest cereals list due to their high sugar content (such as 18 g in a single serving).

4. Post Raisin Bran (Some Versions)

Even though it says “bran,” suggesting it’s healthy, Raisin Bran, or versions of it, can be loaded with sugar (the raisins are loaded with sugar, plus added sugars). According to the label of Post’s Raisin Bran, one cup contains 19 g of sugar. 

5. Cinnamon Toast Crunch

This is a classic cinnamon and sugar combination. In some, a serving (31 g) contains about 9 g of sugar. 

How to Make a Tooth-friendly Cereal Habit

Here are some simple tips to help your teeth:

• Choose cereals that have very low amounts of added sugar (less than 5 g per serving or even 1 or 2 g per serving).
• Choose options that contain plenty of fiber or whole grains. These help to slow the effect of sugar.
• Don’t let sugary cereal sit in your mouth for too long. Eat it with milk/rinse/drink water afterwards so sugar does not linger.
• Try combining a little of a “bad” cereal with a plain one, so that you still get flavor but not so much sugar overall.
• Brush your teeth (at the very least rinse) about 30 minutes after you eat.
• Limit snacks of sweet foods or drinks between meals.