Everyone knows that sugar is bad for your teeth. You may have heard it a hundred times as a kid, and you still do up to this day. However, do you know exactly why sugar is bad? If not, then you are in the right place. This article will show you how sugar affects your teeth, from the moment you eat something sweet to how that can eventually lead to tooth decay.

Here’s why sugar is not good for your teeth and oral health.

How cavities are formed

Before we get into why sugar is not good for you, let us first talk about how cavities are formed in the first place.

If you did not know, your mouth is filled with all sorts of bacteria. However, most of these bacteria are beneficial. For instance, some of them stimulate saliva production, which is important because saliva helps remove food particles and bad germs from your mouth to maintain good oral health. That being said, there are some bad bacteria in there as well.

Some of these bad bacteria feed on sugar, which then produces acids that can break down your teeth. A buildup of these acids, when left on its own, can eat through your teeth’s enamel, damaging their structure and compromising your oral health.

How sugar hurts your oral health

As we said earlier, bacteria that feed on sugar will excrete acids that can break down your teeth. When you eat something sweet, you are effectively feeding this bacteria. However, in many cases, nothing happens because you either wash it away by drinking water or brushing your teeth. Sometimes, any damage that occurs is naturally repaired through the process of remineralization, which restores the teeth’s strength.

Now, the reason cavities still happen is that there is only so much your body can do on its own to fight the acid. Remineralization alone cannot address the issue. If you eat a lot of sugary food items, like candies and sodas, the process becomes faster than your body can deal with.

Tooth decay happens because sugar lowers your mouth’s pH level. This creates an acidic environment that leads to more teeth deterioration. From then on, small holes can develop, which harbour the bacteria and allow the problem to worsen until a cavity finally forms. 

Conclusion 

Does this all mean that you should eliminate sugar intake altogether? Not at all! While sugar is not good for your teeth, you can still enjoy sweets if you want to. All you need to do is make sure you thoroughly brush your teeth after and employ healthy oral habits to keep your teeth in perfect condition.

If you are experiencing cavities or other dental issues, do not hesitate to visit the dentist right away. The longer you ignore the problem, the worse it will get, and the lower the chances that a dentist will successfully treat it. As such, if you think your oral health is under threat, schedule a visit to your dentist right away.

 Edmonton Smiles is a dental clinic that offers preventive and emergency dental services to ensure your teeth are in good health. If you require teeth cleaning services in Edmonton, schedule a visit to our dental clinic today!

Posted in Clinical Advice and Oral Health Tips