We All Love A Good Sugar Rush...but Do We Love Fillings As Much?

Diet is a key part of our daily lives, it affects our physical health, our mental/emotional wellbeing and of course our oral hygiene.

The main cause for tooth decay is lack of oral hygiene upkeep (e.g. not brushing before bed) however more prominently, our diet. Decay actually occurs when teeth are exposed to a substance that has a pH of 5.5 or below (critical pH of enamel), this begins the process of demineralisation. This acidic environment will damage and break through the 2 main dental materials in our teeth-enamel and dentin. Dentin is a key component of our teeth as it protects the pulp which contains our nerves. It also supports the enamel& the hardest part of our teeth that acts as a protective barrier to substances that enter our mouth. Enamel is said to be the most vital component of our teeth, yet it is unable to regenerate or heal itself so must be taken care of.

Acidic food and drinks demineralise these tissues by leaking the minerals (typically calcium and phosphate ions) out of them this in turn reduces tooth strength and leads to a build-up of cavities. Different forms of bacteria within food and drink initiate the process of decay& the 2 common types are: S. mutans and lactobacilli. S. mutans has a special property allowing it to adhere to tooth surfaces and colonise in those areas forming its own little army I guess! Over a period of time this will lead to a build-up of plaque.

Plaque is instrumental in exacerbating tooth decay. The main issue of decay tends to occur when acidic bacteria gets trapped underneath the plaque and comes into contact with the tooth surface. This makes it harder for saliva to wash the bacteria away in good time before any damage has been done. Therefore it is crucial to brush before and after sleeping& particularly before as this is peak time for bacteria to colonise and form holes in our teeth. These holes often form at common areas missed in brushing. Flossing is useful in reaching the nooks and crannies in your mouth and is becoming more and more important since numbers of patients with cavities are continually rising. As of 2018, a quarter & &of all children in the UK have tooth decay with an average of 3-4 teeth affected per child, meaning the NHS is spending an immense amount on filling materials daily to treat them. However the NHS want to bring this level down and the only person who can do that is YOU! Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are key factors in increasing the likelihood of developing tooth decay. Studies show that vitamin C deficiencies can increase risk of developing cavities as vitamin C increases the level of mRNA of collagen 1 3 which are important components of dentin. This strengthens this part of the tooth hence providing firmer protection against acidic food and drink bacteria. Foods containing Vitamin C include: citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, peppers and potatoes. Vitamin C must be a part of your daily diet as it cannot be stored in the body. It doesn t just help to reduce tooth decay, it also is a significant ingredient in strengthening your gums to limit the development of gum disease which is very difficult to treat. It also maintains bone strength and prevents scurvy.

However, as with everything in life, you must remember to keep everything in moderation. Vitamin C has a low pH of around 2.3 meaning it also can lead to more tooth decay since this is below the critical value, which is why balance is important. One way of reducing vitamin C contact is by keeping away from chewable vitamin C tablets& this prolongs the length of time for which the ascorbic acid is exposed to your enamel surface and can do more damage in this period. Little but often is a good phrase to stick by!

But of course, you can t live off oranges alone! Calcium is arguably the most important element in maintaining good oral health. Drinking milk, having yoghurt, cheese, salmon and dark green leafy vegetables will strengthen your teeth and bones so they don t just help your teeth but will also help keep you strong and reduce risk for conditions such as arthritis. As we grow older, society tends to focus less on milk as it is seen to be more for children& this is not true! You must continue to drink milk throughout your life to maintain levels in your body. Phosphorus also strengthens teeth which can be found in eggs, fish and for those of you who are vegetarian nuts, beans and dairy!

If you are ever craving a sweet snack then go for it, everyone needs one once a while! Just try and build up some saliva in your mouth and swirl it around as this has a more neutral pH and can neutralise the acidity in your mouth. The best thing to do is drink water (particularly tap water as this contains fluoride like toothpaste) and allow it to just brush past your teeth and gums before swallowing as sometimes the pH of saliva can drop too once you have had a sugary drink. Another tip: do not keep sugary food/drink in your mouth for long, simply have a quick nibble and swallow as keeping them in your mouth simply increases the time in which bacteria can reproduce and wear away at your dental tissue as we saw with the Vitamin C supplements. What would happen if I got a cavity?

If you were to develop decay, then it is likely that you will need to have a filling inserted by your dentist. These are not the most appealing of procedures since it involves drilling away of the decay followed by attachment of the filling material. In most cases this will be a silver filling made of amalgam provided by the NHS. There is much controversy amongst dentists and material specialist currently, about whether amalgam is suitable for oral use due to it primarily composing of mercury however studies show that the mercury component of amalgam is more of an environmental issue rather than toxicity. Composite fillings are white and can be matched to the colour of your tooth in the majority of cases, however usually these are costly and available mainly under private treatment which can become pricey. The few cases in which they are provided under NHS is normally if it involves the very front teeth or young children. In general, these procedures are not optimal and the debates over amalgam use provide even more doubt in patients mind over the safety of these treatments. Hence, the best route to take is to take care of your oral hygiene by brushing twice a day and flossing as much as possible, alongside maintaining a diet that is not centred around sugary, acidic substances that will encourage tooth erosion. But again, if you need that bar of chocolate just go for it!