5 Signs That You’re Eating Too Much Sugar

Everyone craves sugar now and then, because it’s delicious! But we all know that, in large amounts, sugar can be really bad for your overall health and for your dental health.

So how do you know if you’re consuming too much sugar? We’ve put together 5 signs that might make you want to reevaluate your sugar intake:

1. Feeling sluggish and fatigued – It’s true that what goes up must also eventually come down. This is the same with a sugar high! After the initial rush of sugar and insulin, you’ll eventually crash and it won’t be pretty. When your blood sugar is stable, your energy is more stable.
2. Feeling moodier and more irritable – This goes along with number 1. When a sugar crash occurs, your mood will go with it. Also, the feeling of being tired and run-down won’t help your mood improve either.
3. Your skin has been breaking out – A spike in insulin as a result of too much sugar can sometimes cause your hormones to go haywire. This can sometimes lead to a breakout of acne, which can appear as soon as a few days after a sugar binge! Before going to a dermatologist for skin issues, reassess your diet and see if that makes the difference.
4. Weight gain – Sugar contains no fiber or protein and contains excess calories. This means that sugar doesn’t fill you up, so you’ll eat more of it and get more calories than you need, leading to weight gain. Sugar also triggers the pancreas to release more insulin, which is a hormone that can contribute to weight gain and diabetes.
5. Suffering from dental cavities – Too much sugar can throw off the pH balance in your mouth, allowing bacteria and acids to eat away at your enamel. If you aren’t brushing your teeth after overly sugary meals, you’re at risk for dental cavities, which can turn into tooth decay and infection.

Here at Coastal Periodontics, it’s important to us that our patients are healthy and happy! For more information on how sugar can damage you oral health or to make an appointment with our skilled dentist, Dr. Kate Wilson, please call our Portsmouth, NH office today!