From: Michael M. Butler (butler@comp-lib.org)
Date: Wed Dec 27 2000 - 20:41:30 MST
One addition: It's a preservative when there's no air, too; jam and
jelly are still wet.
Harvey Newstrom wrote:
>
> >If sugar is a preservative, and stops bacteria from eating food, why does it
> >cause decay in teeth, which is due to promotion of bacteria?
>
> Sugar is a preservative when used in high quantities because it
> absorbs moisture and dries out bacteria. They shrivel up due to lack
> of moisture in highly sugar water in the same way that salt water
> dries things out. However, when the sugar content is not so high
> that it is dried out, like in the mouth where it is wet, the sugar
> does not act as a preservative. In this case, it just acts as food.
> The acid used by bacteria to dissolve food also damages teeth. If
> you packed your whole mouth full of dry sugar, it would kill
> bacteria. A small amount of sugar residue does not.
>
> This is an excellent question for the age of your child. I think at
> that age I was merely asking why I couldn't have more candy. Keep up
> the good parenting!
> --
> Harvey Newstrom <HarveyNewstrom.com>
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