Q How healthy are ‘healthy’ food products such as juices and smoothies?

A Fruit juices and smoothies that are often labelled as healthy may not be healthy after all, due to the amount of sugar some of them contain.

It is always a challenge to educate people on how much sugars are hidden in food and drink that are labelled healthy — often, they contain high levels of sugar within them. Many people are unaware of this, due the fact that they are endorsed by famous health professionals and celebrities.

Some patients are often surprised when they continually have problems with tooth decay, even though they seem to be following the advice given by their dentists — brushing twice a day and using the correct toothpastes. There’s a high chance that this can be because of hidden sugars within their diets, especially in these apparently healthy drinks and snacks.

As dentists, it’s important for us to provide useful information to our patients, to highlight the dangers that hidden sugars can pose for their oral health as well as their overall health. Sugar causes your teeth to decay because it reacts with bacteria that is present on them, creating acid which attaches to the tooth surface. When your teeth start to decay, it’s important to visit the dentist for an assessment which can either lead to the decaying teeth needing to be filled in or taken out altogether.

Regularly consuming high levels of sugar can have detrimental effects on your oral and general health, especially if it’s being done with the intention of pursuing a healthier lifestyle.

* Contact Synergy Dental Clinics Bolton or Bury, email bury@synergydental.org.uk or go to synergydental.org.uk/dentist-in-bury