Take Better Care Of Your Teeth

Posted by Crown House Dental on 22nd September 2017

Using Food Labelling Wisely.

Food labels are much better than they used to be, letting us know how much fat, salt, saturated fat, protein and other components are in the processed food we eat.

The problem is, marketing is so much better than is was, so it isn't always clear at a glance that the food we are buying is not as good for us as it says it is.

This is why the traffic light system has been introduced, where food components like salt and sugar are labelled green, amber or red letting you know they have a high amount of that component, or a low amount. For example: a red colour for salt would mean it is high in salt and you should be aware of that when purchasing the product.

Understanding these labels is so important because it means that you are able to make informed choices about the products you buy and ultimately consume. This is relevant to your overall health, but also to your oral health. Ingredients like sugar in products can often be hidden, particularly if it is 'low fat'. This means you could buy a product you believe to be healthy, only to find it is actually really bad news for your teeth. The more you know about labelling, the more able you will be to make the best possible choices for your overall health and your oral health.

How Much Is Too Much?

If a label does not have a traffic light system on it, then it is important to have a basic understanding of the amounts of key components in food and whether they are high or low. According to NHS Live Well the following are guidelines as to whether amounts of salt, fat, saturated fat and sugar are high or low:

Fat - Anything more than 17.5 grams is high and less than 3 grams is low (per 100 grams).

Saturated Fat - Anything more than 5 grams is high and less than 1.5 grams is low (per 100 grams).

Sugar - Anything more than 22.5 grams is high and less than 5 grams is low (per 100 grams).

Salt - Anything more than 1.5 grams is high and less than 0.3 grams is low (per 100 grams).

This kind of information is often listed on the back of the food and it may also give you the amount of each component per weight of the product i.e. per biscuit or per weight of an individual crisp packet.

Ensuring you keep this information in mind when paying for products is so important as knowing what you are putting in your body means knowing your own health and how you are managing it.

Staying Informed About Your Oral Health

As well as monitoring food labels you should also ensure you are attending regular checkups at your Egham Dentist so that any issues can be flagged up and treated quickly. All-round oral health involves daily hygiene, watching your lifestyle habits, watching what you eat and drink, and ensuring you get everything checked regularly. If you need more advice on how your diet might be affecting your teeth, you would like to register with us, or you need to book a checkup, please call our friendly team on 01784432641 and we will be happy to help.

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