The provincial government is pushing ahead with a 20 cent per litre tax on sugary drinks as of next April. While a local dental hygienist believes that may not be great for what’s in people’s pockets, it will be beneficial for their teeth.
Nicole Kielly, the outgoing president of the NL Dental Hygienists Association, says it is how often sugar is consumed and the type of sugar that’s consumed that makes people more susceptible to cavities.
Kielly says our mouths are always filled with bacteria, and sugary drinks help fuel disease-causing bacteria. As well, she says the process of bacteria eating the sugar creates acid.
She says most people have enough saliva to clear the sugar away. However, she states that in today’s world, so many drinks contain sugar that the bacteria is constantly being fed—and our teeth are “bathed” in saliva, which is full of acid.
To help prevent cavities, Kielly suggests saving junk food for after meals, instead of snacking on or sipping sugary drinks throughout the day.
She also suggests that people “eat their juice” by enjoying fruits, rather than manufactured drinks. She says the sugar from a whole food doesn’t stick around in the same way that it does from pop or other sugary drinks and snacks.