Sweet and Sneaky

Chow down on something and the sugar provides food for your mouth's bacteria which then produce acids to attack your teeth. Perhaps you have cut back on candy and pop but there are losts of other sources of sugar. Many processed food contain it.

Cutting down on processed foods helps, but there are other natural-sounding sources of sugar that may surprise you. Anything that is high in carbohydrates can be broken down by plaque bacteria. The byproduct of bacteria is acid, which demineralizes your teeth, leading to tooth sensitivity and cavities.

The key to snacking on naturally sweet foods, such as fruit, is to eat it over a short period of time to reduce the amount of time your teeth are exposed to acid.

Here are some list of the surprisingly Sneaky Sugar prepared products that can be found in the supermarket:

• baked beans
• barbecue sauce
• bread
• breakfast cereal
• cookies
• crackers
• dried fruit
• frozen dinners
• fruit juice
• fruit spreads
• fruit yogurt
• granola and other multigrain cereals
• granola bars
• iced tea
• instant oatmeal
• ketchup
• muffins and muffin mixes
• pasta sauce
• peanut butter
• potato chips
• protein drink
• some reduced-fat products
• salad dressings
• sports drinks

For the best dental health, buy products with the least amount of sugar it will be included toward the end of the ingredient list). When checking labels, you might not always see the word "sugar", but these are all a form of it:

• barley malt
• cane juice
• corn syrup
• dextrose
• fructose
• glucose
• sucrose
• honey
• maltodextrin
• maple syrup
• molasses