Some foods we eat invite tooth decay and gum diseases. One of them is the sugar we eat in our meals and fizzy drinks and sodas that accompany most people’s meals these days.

According to experts, sugar is at the root of many dental caries and cavities. Consultant Dentist, Dr. Olabode Ijarogbe, says sugar, especially those from starchy foods and carbonated drinks, plays a harmful role in tooth decay.

According to him, debris from sugary foods often hides in the gums, and if not removed via brushing, can clog the teeth and gums, leading to dental decay.

Ijarogbe says, “Normally, we have bacteria in our mouth. The bacteria works on this refined sugar to produce a dilute acid, which results in dissolution of hard tooth tissue. Each time we take much of the high-refined sugar, it remains as substrate at different corners in our mouth and then the bacteria in our mouth feeds on it to cause havoc.

“Sometimes, it also results in swollen gum, which bleeds each time you touch it.”

He notes that tooth decay is not a minor health challenge, as it can degenerate to form abscess in the gums.

You could lose your tooth by eating sugar regularly. Ijarogbe explains that sugar from foods and drinks produces acids that dissolve, damage the teeth and loosen the gums, making it easier for the tooth to fall off.

Experts say as much as we can, we should resist snacking in-between meals. Professor of Restorative Dentistry, Segun Akpata, notes that the residues of these snacks could form bacteria which attack the teeth and gums.

Akpata states, “To avoid tooth decay, one must watch the nature of food that one eats. We have to control the level of sugar, sweets, chocolates and cakes we eat by reducing snacking in-between meals.

“Dental care is not just about brushing the teeth. Oral hygiene is important to prevent cancer of the mouth, too. Smoking, tobacco chewing and alcohol consumption are lifestyle choices we should avoid in order to prevent oral cancer and tooth decay.”



Full details at http://www.punchng.com/health/healthwise/sugar-can-damage-your-teeth-gums/

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