ISA celebrates healthy smiles on World Oral Health Day

Brussels 20 March 2014: World Oral Health Day is the perfect chance to remind people about what they can do to improve their general health by taking better care of their oral hygiene.

The list of painful diseases related to poor oral health is long. But, people can significantly reduce the risk of oral disease by simply introducing new positive habits into their dietary regimes.

Gum disease can be prevented by good personal oral hygiene practices, including brushing and cleaning between teeth, which are important for the control of advanced periodontal conditions.

People can reduce their risk of oral disease by consuming low calorie sweeteners because they don’t ferment or contribute to tooth decay. Thus they are an excellent way of improving oral health. One little known fact is that low calorie sweeteners, which can be found in many drinks and foods, including sugar-free chewing gum, can help improve overall oral health and reduce the risk of tooth decay. Chewing sugar-free gum neutralizes plaque and reduces the incidence of caries.

Dr Eeva Widström, specialist in Clinical Dentistry and a speaker at this year’s International Sweeteners Association (ISA) annual conference in April in Brussels, is one of many experts who believe that the simple choice to chew sugar-free gum after eating and drinking can have a lasting and positive effect on general health because it simply prevents a build-up of plaque – a simple and effective choice with great results.

The ISA strongly advocates the consumption of low calorie sweeteners as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle and aims to inform consumers about the benefits for oral as well as general health.