Ask the Dentist with Dr. Mark Burhenne

Episode #40: Are Honey and Maple Syrup OK for My Teeth?

Dec 14, 2021

25:12

For thousands of years, humans lived relatively sugar-free, with refined sugars not yet produced. However, in today's society, much of what we consume has been processed and sweetened. In this episode, Dr. B addresses the question of whether honey and maple syrup are ok to eat, and how they impact your teeth. The short answer is "no", however, there are nuances to everything in the body, and Dr. B gives some great tips on how to consume small quantities of sugar, safely. We hear why the myriad of "health benefits" to honey so widely publicized on the internet are not all they appear to be, and how you can wean yourself off sugar. We discuss how our ancestors lived, and why eating honey was probably not as bad for them as it is for us! From intermittent fasting to eating sweet things in one go, to Dr. B's very own microbiome-friendly omelet, don’t miss out on this sweet episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

An introduction to the root of all evil in dentistry: processed sugars [0:00:09]
Today's question: Are honey and maple syrup considered sugar, and do they affect our oral microbiome the same way as refined sugars? [0:02:27]
How honey is produced and processed, and why it can be good for you [0:04:00]
Why sugar is bad for your teeth and how honey is slightly different from pure refined sugar [0:06:03]
Why we don’t want to disinfect the mouth: causing dysbiosis [0:07:24]
What dextran is and how honey can break it down [0:08:11]
The difference between maple syrup and honey and how maple syrup affects your mouth [0:09:01]
Dr. B’s advice for eating a healthy breakfast: the best diet for your teeth [0:11:00]
How much sugar you can eat a day, and how often [0:13:07]
Why our ancestors probably didn’t snack and what you can eat for breakfast [0:14:32]
How the oral microbiome is regulated and how sugar disrupts this [0:15:46]
Bad news for today’s questioner, Chrissy [0:16:56]
How giving up sugar changed Dr. B’s tastes and health [0:17:11]
The systemic issues with ingesting sugar [0:18:11]
Conclusion: there are no shortcuts [0:19:27]
Some tips on weaning yourself off sugar [0:20:19]
Why you should never give infants honey [0:21:02]