The fact that sugar can harm our overall health has led many to search for alternative ways to sweeten their food and drink.
Advances in chemistry have led to the discovery of artificial sweeteners, substances that offer sweetness without calories. The American Heart Association (AHA) and American Diabetes Association (ADA) have given them cautious approval as sugar substitutes for patients combating metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and obesity, all risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Using artificial sweeteners wisely could help reduce the added sugar and calories you take in, which lowers the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. But are they any good for your teeth?
What Is an Artificial Sweetener?
Let’s first define what artificial sweeteners are. They are sugar substitutes, substances that don’t contain sugar but have a sweet taste. They are often used in making food items such as candy, puddings, dairy products, baked goods, jams, and jellies. Some kinds of toothpaste also have them.
Artificial sweeteners are sweeter than sugar, which means you won’t need as much artificial sweetener to achieve the same sweetness sugar gives. This also means they are low in calories; some don’t even have calories.
Types of Artificial Sweeteners
Some of the common types of artificial sweeteners are:
Saccharin
Saccharin was developed in 1879, making it the first-ever artificial sweetener. It’s sweeter than sugar by 300 to 500 times and is often used to make toothpaste and diet foods and beverages taste better.
Acesulfame potassium
Also known as acesulfame K, acesulfame potassium is an artificial sweetener 200 times sweeter than table sugar and can be used in baking and cooking. It’s sold under the brands Sweet One or Sunnet.
Aspartame
This artificial sweetener is sold as Equal or NutraSweet and is 200 times sweeter than table sugar. It’s the only artificial sweetener our body can break down into its three main components — aspartic acid, ethanol, and phenylalanine.
Neotame
Neotame is sold under the brand Newtame and is 13,000 times sweeter than table sugar. It’s suitable for baking and cooking.
Sucralose
This artificial sweetener is 600 times sweeter than table sugar, and it’s the only non-caloric sweetener derived from sugar. Our bodies also don’t absorb it, and it passes through our bodies virtually unchanged. It’s also suitable for baking, cooking, and acidic foods. It’s sold under the brand Splenda.
Xylitol
Xylitol is a naturally-occurring sugar alcohol found in vegetables and fruits. It’s a common ingredient in sugarless gums, mints, and candies.
Stevia
This sweetener is extracted from the plant Stevia rebaudiana. It is 250- 300 times sweeter than table sugar and is used in many products like sugar-free soft drinks, flavored milk, jams, cakes, and more. They are also suitable for cooking.
Effects of Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar and your teeth don’t really have a good relationship, especially if you consume too much sugar. You may turn to artificial sweeteners instead, but be wary of their effects.
They can make you dislike nutritious foods.
Artificial sweeteners can change the way we taste food. They make you avoid healthy, nutritious, and filling foods and trick you into eating more artificially-flavored foods with lower nutritional value.
Artificial sweeteners are sweeter than table sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. But, this means they may overstimulate and overwork the sugar receptors in our bodies. They also make it more difficult to tolerate more complex tastes; people who use artificial sweeteners regularly may find less sweet or unsweet food items like fruits and vegetables less appealing or unappetizing.
They may trick people into eating more sweets.
Another way artificial sweeteners affect us is by tricking us into eating more, increasing our calorie intake. Some people may fool themselves into thinking that it’s okay to eat some cake since they’re drinking diet sodas. They replace the calories they lost by eating more calorie-rich foods, negating any weight-loss benefits they got. Eating more sugary foods is also bad news for your teeth.
They can stop us from associating sweetness with calories.
An artificial sweetener can also prevent us from associating sweetness with calorie intake. It can make us crave sweets and choose sweet food over healthy food, leading to weight gain. The San Antonio Heart Study found that people who consumed more than 21 days’ worth of diet soda a week were twice as likely to become overweight or obese than people who don’t drink diet soda.
They can be addictive.
If you think you can quit taking artificial sweeteners easily, think again. An animal study suggests that sweeteners can be addictive. Researchers exposed rats to cocaine before letting them choose between intravenous cocaine and oral saccharine. Most of the rats chose saccharine.
Artificial Sweeteners and Oral Health
Artificial sweeteners can have some positive effects on oral health, but it doesn’t mean they should replace dietary sugar in your diet. Experts agree that, as with everything else, artificial sweeteners should be taken in moderation.
Bacteria can’t digest them.
What does sugar do to your teeth and gums? Sugar doesn’t directly harm your teeth and gums; it’s the bacteria that digest them. Bacteria in your mouth produce acidic waste products that damage and weaken your teeth’s enamel. This leaves your teeth more prone to damage.
On the other hand, artificial sweeteners are unsuitable for bacteria consumption because they don’t have sugar. This means bacteria can’t make acidic waste products that can damage your teeth.
Xylitol and stevia are good for your teeth.
Xylitol is a common component of sugar-free gum that helps stimulate saliva production, which removes food particles from the mouth and neutralizes the mouth’s acidity.
Is stevia bad for your teeth? No, because stevia doesn’t contain any fermentable carbohydrates. A 2013 study measured the plaque pH of volunteers who rinsed their mouths with solutions containing sucrose or stevia extract. The researchers observed that volunteers who rinsed with sucrose had more acidic plaque than those who rinsed with stevia extract.
Artificial sweeteners have stronger acids.
Artificial sweeteners don’t cause enamel damage, but they are combined with tartaric, phosphoric, and citric acids. These enhance an artificial sweetener’s flavor, but they also damage enamel. This is especially true for citrus-flavored products.
Brushing, flossing, and moderate consumption of sweets that may or may not contain artificial sweeteners is still the best way to care for your oral health and reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Key Takeaway
Sugar is one of the most harmful substances to teeth. This has led many to try artificial sweeteners, substances that have a sweet taste but do not have the same calories as sugar. They are also often sweeter than sugar.
Some artificial sweeteners are excellent alternatives to sugar but can still affect your oral and overall health; it’s best to consume any artificial sweetener in moderation.
Keep your teeth healthy with Sunrise Dentistry.
Regardless of your preference for sweeteners, the best way to care for your teeth and maintain a healthy smile is through good oral hygiene and preventive dentistry services. Our dentists in Durango, CO, are experts at providing services that best suit their patient’s needs. Call us, and start your journey to a beautiful smile today.
