Sugar, acid and tooth decay

Sugar, acid and tooth decay

So what are the facts about how sugar and acid damage teeth?

Teeth are covered by layer of enamel. This is an extremely hard material and is able to withstand a great deal of force. But start throwing acid at it and it will slowly fall apart. The modern diet is dangerously high in sugar and acid. Every time we introduce carbohydrate into our mouths, the bacteria that inevitably will be in our mouths will feed on this sugar and produce a waste product in the form of lactic acid. This acid is extremely dangerous and will erode and decay the enamel in our teeth.

Luckily the saliva in our mouths acts as a buffer. This saliva will help to wash away the acid and also neutralize the acid stopping its harmful affects on our teeth. The question then is why do we still get decay then if we have this saliva fighting for us to get rid of the acid? The problem we have is that the saliva we produce is just not enough to control a repeated sugar and acid attack on our teeth. Saliva can control a short attack of sugar but if you snack repeatedly throughout the day on sugary food and drinks then the mouth cannot keep up, the sugar overtakes, the acid levels spike in the mouth and the erosive decay process on our teeth occurs.

So from a diet point of view we need to dramatically reduce our sugar intake and if we must feel the urge then have it at mealtimes only (ideally once a day) and not in between. The mouth will be able to cope with this. You must of course brush at least twice a daily after meals and floss so you can physically remove/reduce the harmful bacteria on our teeth and in our mouths.

Other ways we introduce dangerous acids to our teeth is by the consumption of acidic drinks. We are all aware of the damaging effects of carbonated drinks such as coke and lemonade but some may not be aware of the damaging effects of fruit juices. Not only are these packed with sugar but also are very acidic. If these are a common part of your diet then you really need to consider cutting them back as they will only cause damage. Also important is to not brush your teeth directly after consuming acidic fruits as this will only rub the acid further into your teeth, let your mouth naturally cleanse itself for 30 minutes before brushing.

David Hurst BDS (Lon)