"The Invisible Enemy: How Sugar and Acid Are Eroding Your Dental Health"

 By Dr. Mayank Chandrakar, Dental Surgeon (MDS, Public Health Dentistry)

Introduction: The Constant Struggle in Your Mouth

Despite all efforts aimed at regular brushing and flossing, numerous people still experience dental cavities, tooth sensitivity, and wear of enamel. As a dentist with experience in dealing with a variety of dental problems, I realized that the reason behind them is not always bad oral hygiene. A more constant and problematic factor is regular exposure of teeth to sugars and acids.

Most of people think that poor hygiene leads to different problems with teeth. Yes, good hygiene is necessary; however, one should realize that your diet determines the condition of teeth. Depending on the diet, it is possible to create conditions that will make them stronger or weaken them. So, instead of just telling patients to avoid eating sugar, we should focus on biological processes and how they can be stopped.

As for your efforts in keeping your teeth healthy, it is not enough to learn how to brush them properly.

Sugar's impact on your oral health by Kaiser Permanente

The Truth About Sugars According to Dentistry

All sugars belong to a group of foods known as fermentable carbohydrates. The thing is, they serve as a source of nutrition for bacteria that live in mouths. Among them, one should mention Streptococcus mutans.

These bacteria do not destroy enamel. They simply consume leftovers and convert them into acids that are harmful for teeth.

Process of Demineralization

In a person's mouth, there is a rich population of microorganisms. Normally, it does not cause any harm to a human being. The problem appears when fermentable carbohydrates enter the mouth.

Let us find out how this happens:

You have a snack that includes sugar.

Bacteria begin decomposing it.

The result is lactic acid production.

The pH level drops to below 5.5.

Now, it is the moment when the minerals are removed from enamel.

This process is called demineralization. It is considered to be the first step towards developing cavities. Since this process starts each time when you consume some sugar-containing product, over the period of weeks and months, it will lead to the weakening of enamel.

Frequency Is Critical Factor

When speaking about dental health, sometimes the frequency of consumption plays a greater role than quantity. This idea plays a great role in preventive medicine.

Eating a dessert along with a meal affects the acid levels in mouth for a short period – 30-45 minutes – after which saliva makes its work restoring everything.

In case with constant drinking of sugar-containing beverages, your mouth stays acidic for a longer time, thus increasing the chance of enamel erosion, since the enamel cannot restore its condition.

Thus, it is preferable to eat desserts with meals, rather than regularly consuming snacks that contain sugar.

Acid Erosion That Does Not Depend on Bacterial Activity

Sometimes enamel erosion occurs without any participation of bacteria. The main reason behind such damage is direct acid erosion caused by acidic products.

Some examples of foods that erode enamel include:

Citric fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit);

Various types of soft drinks;

Wines (both red and white ones);

Energy drinks.

Gradually, the acid will erode enamel layer leading to enamel thinning, increased sensitivity, and even changing the color of a tooth due to the exposition of dentin.

Protection of Your Teeth: The Role of Saliva

One more protective element in the human organism is saliva. There are many ways in which it helps us maintain our oral health. For example, it:

Neutralizes acids using bicarbonate ions;

Provides calcium and phosphate to enamel to allow remineralization;

Removes bacteria from the oral cavity.

To stimulate salivation, one can chew sugar-free gums after meals. Such an activity enhances the ability to neutralize acid in mouth and even fix early signs of demineralization.

What Else Can You Do?

Except for making certain changes in your diet, there is another thing that you can try to protect your enamel.

Timing of Brushing

Right after eating some acidic product, enamel softens. If you brush right away, you risk causing additional harm. So, waiting half an hour and even longer helps to improve enamel before brushing teeth.

Using a Straw

Consumption of beverages with the use of straws is better since it prevents liquid from touching teeth.

After Rinsing with Water

Drinking water after consuming acidic food helps to dilute and wash away acid. This speeds up acid-neutralization process.

Using Fluoride

Fluoride improves the condition of enamel. Its application allows formation of fluorapatite that is more resistant to acid. Thus, usage of fluoride toothpaste plays a big role in dental protection.

Consultation with Dentist

In case of frequent development of cavities and sensitivity, a consultation with dentists is required. They will be able to provide high concentrations of fluoride and other treatments related to remineralization.

Choosing Healthy Products for Eating

You should consider eating certain products to promote dental health. For instance, cheeses are known for stimulation of salivation and creating an alkaline environment. Also, crunchy fruits and vegetables are helpful for cleaning tooth surfaces and promoting salivation.

Conclusion

Your diet is very important in terms of your dental health. You should learn how to fight sugar and acids, which destroy enamel. Besides that, frequency of consumption is also critical.

Acid Attack: Protecting Your Teeth from Acidic Foods and Drinks | The Oral Health Podcast