This 8-part series provides an in-depth look at seven different habits, addictions and behaviors that are deadly to your oral health.
Welcome back to our 8-part article series on the different behaviors, addictions and habits that are deadly to the health of your teeth and gums. By indulging in these various “dental sins”, you could eventually find yourself sitting in a consultation with a Bridgeport dental implants specialist! In our previous installment, Part 4, we discussed the dangers of tobacco-use, most of which we are well acquainted with. In this article, the fifth installment of the series, the dental implant specialist will be talking to us about deadly dental sin # 4: a bad diet that’s high in sugar and low in nutrition.
Your Mouth Under the Microscope
Remember your childhood dentist telling you that candy is bad for your teeth? There’s a reason he or she said that! Your mouth is teeming with little organisms that are invisible to the human eye. There are at least 300 different species of bacteria living on your teeth, tongue and gums, most of which are harmless. It’s the other 10% that are disease causing. “The reason it’s so important for us to brush and floss regularly and thoroughly is to prevent bacterial populations from getting out of control,” explains a Bridgeport dental implants specialist. “Without these hygienic measures, we’d be far more susceptible to cavities, decay, infection and tooth loss.”
However, caring for your teeth and gums goes further than maintaining good oral hygiene. Bacteria have an insatiable “sweet-tooth” and foods that are high in starches and sugar provide them with the energy they need to multiply much faster. The higher your diet is in white breads, potato chips, candies, sugary beverages and other unhealthy foods, the more favorable an environment your mouth is going to be for bacterial growth. This is precisely why your dentist warned you away from candy.
What Goes In Must Come Out!
If it’s natural and even necessary to have bacteria swimming about in your mouth, then what harm can they do? As we said, most oral bacteria are harmless while a small percentage can actually make you ill. Avoiding a diet high in sugar and starches combined with proper oral hygiene will keep both kinds in check. However, all types of bacteria produce waste products. What goes in must come out! Bacteria feast upon the food debris left behind in your mouth after a meal. They then excrete waste products that are acidic and rich in smelly compounds, like hydrogen sulfide. The acid content of their wastes actually erodes away your dental enamel, forming cavities, while the smell of it translates into bad breath.
These cavities offer bacteria a little safe haven away from the bristles of your toothbrush and, after a time, deepen due to further acid erosion. Eventually, a cavity can form a direct pathway for bacteria into the very heart of the tooth, at which stage you’re in grave danger of losing it! Do you see the connection between diet, bacteria and dental health? It’s a very important one and should definitely be taken into account when surfing that dinner menu!
Stay Tuned for Part 6
Stay tuned for the sixth installment of this 8-part article series in which Stratford dental implants specialists discuss the number five transgression against good oral health: being rough with your teeth!