It may still only be November, but Christmas has well and truly hit the high street, including the coffee shops. The likes of Costa Coffee and Starbucks have released their festive hot drinks and they are already being enjoyed by thousands of people around the country.
Going for a coffee break whilst you’re doing your Christmas shopping has become the norm. These festive drinks may taste delicious, but have you ever given a thought to the amount of sugar that they contain?
In this article, we will discuss this year’s popular festive drinks and their sugar contents, as well as the effect they could have on your dental health.
Research has been carried out into the amount of sugar popular Christmas drinks contain. They have been ranked in regards to the sugar contains within a standard-sized cup.
The government recommends a daily allowance of 30g added sugar for an adult. All of the drinks listed above contain more than this, in just one regular-sized drink. Combine this with the rest of the added sugar you are likely to eat in a day over the festive season, and you will be going well over the recommendation. The Mint Hot Chocolate from Pret a Manger actually contains as much sugar as 20 McVities Digestive biscuits!
It’s a well-known fact that sugar is your teeth’s worst enemy. Sugar attacks teeth, which over time can cause your teeth to become damaged.
Coffee in general, even without the added sugar, isn’t the best thing for your teeth. Its dark colouring can cause yellowing and surface staining on the teeth, which can only be removed with professional teeth whitening treatment. However, the sugar that is included in these drinks is much more harmful to your teeth in the long run. Frequent high consumption of sugar puts your teeth at risk of decay, especially if your oral hygiene isn’t quite up to scratch. The acids in sugar create plaque, which if unremoved, turns into tartar. It’s tartar that erodes the teeth, leaving them weaker and more susceptible to decay.
There are many ways that you can help to reduce the damaging effects of sugar on your dental health. These include:
If you would like further advice, or would like to book an appointment with one of our expert dentists at Regent Dental Centre in Altrincham, please click here.
Source: https://www.dentistry.co.uk/2019/11/08/christmas-drinks-worst-oral-health/
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