SOMEONE SENT US A QUESTION ABOUT HOW MUCH SWEET FOOD CAN SOMEONE EAT WITHOUT CAUSING CAVITIES. READ THE POST BELOW FOR A DETAILED DESCRIPTION ON THE TOPIC.
DENTAL CARIES OR CAVITIES ARE RESULT OF ACTION OF BACTERIA ON TOOTH. THE FOOD WE EAT PROVIDE SUGAR TO THE BACTERIA AND THEY USE IT TO PRODUCE ACID AND HENCE CAUSE TOOTH DECAY. BELOW DIAGRAM EXPLAINS HOW IT WORKS.
FACTORS
NOW, WHAT FACTORS MANIPULATE THE PROGRESS OF CARIES ?
- TIME – THE MORE TIME BACTERIA GET TO PRODUCE ACID, MORE HARM IT WILL CAUSE TO THE TOOTH.
- BACTERIA – POOR ORAL HYGIENE WILL LEAD TO INCREASED NUMBER OF DIFFERENT STRAINS OF BACTERIA WHICH EVENTUALLY ACCELERATED PROCESS OF CAVITATION.
- DIET – THE MORE SUGAR OR SWEET PRODUCTS YOU EAT, WILL PROVIDE MORE FERMENTABLE SUGAR TO THE BACTERIA AND WILL LEAD TO PRODUCTION OF MORE ACID.
IF YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF SOME FACTS AND TAKE PRECAUTIONS ACCORDINGLY, YOU CAN MINIMISE THE RISK OF HAVING DENTAL CARIES/CAVITIES EVEN AFTER EATING LOTS OF SWEETS.
HOW TO MINIMIZE RISK?
BRUSHING AFTER EVERY MEAL IS RECOMMENDED BUT PRACTICALLY IT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE SO TRY TO RINSE YOUR MOUTH WITH WATER AS SOON AS YOU EAT SOMETHING SWEET, THIS WOULD NOT ONLY BUFFER THE ACID PRODUCTION BUT ALSO REMOVE THE SUGAR STICKING TO THE TOOTH WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY DECREASE THE RATE OF DENTAL CARIES PROGRESSION.
SOME SWEETS CAUSE MORE RISK THAN OTHERS, MAINLY DUE TO THEIR STICKY NATURE. REMOVING A STICKY SWEET FOOD IS MUST IF YOU CONSUME IT, NOTHING SHOULD ADHERE YOUR TEETH AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED EATING.
FREQUENCY OF CONSUMPTION OR IN SIMPLE WORDS THE NUMBER OF TIMES YOU EAT SOMETHING WILL HAVE MORE EFFECT ON CARIES THAN THE NUMBER OR QUANTITY OF SWEETS YOU EAT. TO EXPLAIN THIS I WILL GIVE AN EXAMPLE.
SUPPOSE YOU HAVE 10 CHOCOLATES, NOW CONSIDER TWO SITUATIONS
- YOU EAT ALL THE CHOCOLATES ONE AFTER THE OTHER AND FINISH THEM ALL .
- YOU EAT ONE THEN WAIT SOME TIME AND EAT ANOTHER ONE, BASICALLY YOU EAT 10 CHOCOLATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
NOW WHEN YOU EAT ALL THE CHOCOLATES AT ONE TIME, YOUR FREQUENCY OF CONSUMPTION IS LESS WHEN COMPARED TO THE SITUATION WHERE YOU EAT CHOCOLATES ALL DAY. THIS MEANS IN THE SECOND SITUATION YOU ARE AT A HIGHER RISK OF HAVING DENTAL CARIES DUE TO EATING SWEETS MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY.
QUESTIONS?
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