Harley Street Dentist Highlights Dangers of ‘Food on the Go’
A Harley Street dentist is encouraging people to be wary of eating on the go.
Dr Sameer Patel, from Elleven Dental, believes that many people are consuming more sugar than they think due to snacking and eating convenience foods at work. Dr Patel highlighted some of the main dangers, including fruit smoothies, popcorn, bread, tea and coffee and breakfast cereals.
Many people start their day with a bowl of cereal. However, Dr Patel has urged people to read food labels and check the sugar content, as many cereals can contain up to 3 teaspoons of sugar per serving. This equates to two and a half chocolate biscuits. There are also concerns about products that are marketed as healthy options, such as cereal bars and fruit smoothies. Smoothies and juices have become incredibly popular in the last couple of years. However, many shop-bought products are laden with sugar. Wheat biscuits, porridge, homemade smoothies, eggs and wholegrain toast represent healthier options.
Snacking through the day at your desk is often bad news for the teeth. Even healthy, low calorie options such as dried fruit and popcorn contain hidden sugars and present dangers for the teeth. Popcorn tends to get trapped in the cracks on the tooth surfaces and the kernels can also be very hard, carrying a risk of chips and fractures. Dr Patel recommends switching dried fruit for natural fruit with high water content, such as apples, pears and raw vegetables, such as carrot sticks and celery.
A large proportion of people start the day with a coffee or tea and while a caffeine hit can prepare you for the day ahead, drinking these drinks can contribute to staining. If you drink three or four cups a day, Dr Patel recommends rinsing the mouth with water afterwards and swapping normal tea or coffee for green tea, which doesn’t stain and is also packed with antioxidants.
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