Find out how sugar rots your teeth – we’re not saying you can’t have any sugar or showbags, but here are some great tips to ensure you enjoy the Ekka and your teeth do too!
Ekka: A Dentist’s Perspective – How Sugar Rots Your Teeth
If you’re interested in learning more about sugar and the Ekka and how to try and avoid anything too damaging whilst still having a good time, read on! Our dentists have uncovered three top tips for those who want to leave the Ekka with their teeth happy too!
1. Rinse with water after everything you eat!
This is a really basic tip but it will help you a lot if you’re off to the Ekka for some fun – drinks like juice and soft drink will leave acid on your teeth. Rinsing with water allows you to remove debris from the mouth, and also reduce acids to get your teeth back to a normal pH level faster.
If you don’t have any water, try chewing sugarfree gum after your meal for the same results.
2. Try to avoid/minimise snacking!
This is going to be easier said than done, and you may struggle with it at the Ekka, but it’s great advice for daily tooth maintenance. When you eat, teeth are exposed to acid and bacteria which cause cumulative damage – a big problem for those who are snacking and grazing all day. As such, try to eat your meals in one sitting rather than spread out over the day! If you must eat in frequent sittings, remember tip 1 – always have your water bottle with you!
3. Avoid foods/drinks with a high sugar content.
If you thought tip 2 would be difficult, this one’s probably worse. The strawberries and cream ice cream cones, showbags, fairy floss, and other candy which there is a surfeit of at the Ekka will all break down in the mouth rather than the digestive tract. Not ideal! If you can minimise the amount of soft drinks or high sugar food you eat your teeth and general health (and tummy!) will thank you.