Artificial sweeteners, also known as Sugar substitutes are calorie-free, non-nutritive chemical substances that provide a sweet taste to foods and drinks. Some are made with benign chemicals, while others are prepared from naturally occurring substances like herbs. It allows people to enjoy the sweet flavor of nourishments but without sugar. They are prevalently used in eatables like jams, fruit juices, jellies, candies, etc.

It is a well-known fact that consuming too much sugar causes cavities and type 2 diabetes. However, certain people get dental caries, gum infections despite taking foodstuffs, and beverages that are branded as “Sugar-free”.

It has raised the question “Will artificial sweeteners affect our teeth?” in the minds of many people. It is also something that our patients have inquired about. We explained it in detail here. Keep reading.

How does sugar cause tooth decay?

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Tooth decay is one of the most common dental problems. You have some form of cavities unless you take good care of your teeth. Remember that cavities occur gradually such as losing minerals, weakening the enamel, and eventually a hole will form. It means you can save a decayed tooth if it is treated timely. In contrast, many people neglect cavities due to which they invite serious problems like gum diseases.

You might know cavities penetrate deeper inside a tooth and affect the adjacent teeth. Surprisingly, the toxic microbes in a rotten tooth are linked to various long-term health issues. Researches show that some illnesses have their root from infections in teeth. When the oral microbes in a rotten tooth move to the bloodstream, various deadly diseases will occur.

Such clinical consequences of untreated cavities are explained here.

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You might be wondered when your dentist asked about your lifestyle and day to day activities while treating a decayed tooth.  Tooth decay is not just a common oral problem that occurred with bacterial invasion on your teeth. Such dental caries can also be stimulated because of existing disorders or abnormal health conditions. It means cavities can happen with much more than poor oral care and food items you take. It is because the dentists are looking for your medical history to pinpoint the root cause of cavities at times.

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Getting a sudden unbearable pain when you bite something?

Or seeing a dark spot on your gum line when you brush your teeth?

These are the worst feeling ever, and these are all the signs of a cavity that needs the attention of your dentist.

Tooth decay or a cavity is a permanently damaged portion of your tooth that has changed into an opening or hole in your enamel. The main reason for this tooth decay is plaque, a bacterial film that continuously grows on your teeth.

These bacteria produce acids that can wear off the surface of the tooth. A cavity forms once the wear reaches the dentin layer underneath the enamel.

Ways to prevent the spread of tooth decay

Mostly tooth decay is not noticeable. To say in other words, tooth decay is often not visible to our eyes during its early stages. This is the reason why regular dental checkups are necessary.

If you go to checkups regularly, your dentist can take X-rays of your mouth and examine your teeth to ensure that your teeth are healthy. This is the first and best method to prevent any decay.

It is not possible to restore your teeth to its original stage if the cavity occurs. If you see a cavity or sign of cavity in your teeth, consult your dentist immediately and get an appointment.

Even if you brush and floss your teeth regularly, it is not possible to stop decay from spreading. That is why visiting your dentist is important, and he can help you with a simple dental filling.

Getting a dental filling is generally painless and simple. First, the area where the tooth is affected is removed, and then the infected space is cleaned. Then using a restorative material, space is filled. This restorative material is a composite resin made from a tooth-colored material. So generally, no one can notice it.

What happens if you do not bother about decay?

As said above, tooth decay is not visible to eyes in its early stages. A tiny cavity does not take much time to convert into a dental emergency.

If the decay develops through the tooth, then the bacteria can enter into the pulp deeply where the roots, nerves, and the dental pulp are situated, resulting in an abscess, which is both painful and dangerous. It weakens your tooth and results in a crack or break.

A dental filling is not possible to repair your teeth if it is abscessed or cracked. A root canal or a tooth extraction is the next process to repair your teeth.

Prevention method before it starts

Preventing tooth decay before it starts is the best thing to be done. Here are some of the ways to prevent tooth decay.

Drink more water

Water is the best friend to your body, where it enhances both your physical health as well as dental health. It washes away food particles that stick on your teeth, which is the main reason for the formation of plaques. Water also enables the secretion of saliva, which protects your teeth from the formation of plaque.

Limit sugar

While water is the best friend of your teeth, sugar is just opposite to it. It feeds the bacteria responsible for tooth decay. Soda, sugared gum, hard or sticky candies are the worst foods that spoil your dental health.

Follow good dental habits

You would have already known this, Brush twice a day and floss at least once a day. This is your first thing to prevent tartar build-up, plaque, and tooth decay. Always use a soft-bristled toothbrush and follow proper brushing techniques.

Visit your dentist regularly

As already said above, visit your dentist regularly. It is recommended to visit your dentist twice a year. Apart from following good oral habits, visiting your dentist is also important and it keeps you away from various dental problems and saves your money in the future.

You won’t believe if I say your tooth enamel is the strongest tissue in our body. They are very stronger than bones and even harder than steel. Enamel is a very hard outer layer of your teeth that protects your teeth from damage or decay.

Even though they are harder, it can be broken and leads to enamel erosion. They lead to various dental problems. Here are some reasons for enamel erosion.

Acidic foods

Do you know acidic foods put your teeth enamel at risk? Yes, fruits like orange, lemon, strawberry, and grapes, etc., are healthy to your body, but they will erode your enamel. This is why they should be eaten along with water to minimize the damage level. These foods are not the only product that harms your teeth, products like pickle, ketchup, coffee, wine, etc., also wear away your enamel and stains your teeth. These foods should not be consumed regularly.

GERD (Gastro-Esophageal reflex disease)

There will be a pipe that connects your mouth with the stomach called Esophagus. When GERD occurs, the stomach acid flows back and reach the mouth. They too wear down your enamel leading to enamel erosion.

Xerostomia

The saliva in your mouth removes food debris and bacteria in your mouth and prevent from decay. They also neutralize the acids in your mouth and protect from enamel damage. When there is a lack of saliva secretion, dryness in the mouth occurs leading to enamel erosion. Several factors like smoking, diabetes, HIV, chemotherapy, etc., are responsible for this dryness in the mouth.

Poor dental habits

Your saliva is responsible for constantly neutralizing the acid in the mouth. But if you eat more acidic foods and fail to brush your teeth twice and floss, your outer layer of the teeth will be weakened over time. You should brush after an hour if you eat something sugary or acidic.

Eating disorder

Some people suffer from fear of getting overweight and avoid eating proper food, and this eating disorder is called anorexia. Due to this, they lack nutrition. This lack of nutrition may lead to enamel erosion. Bulimia is another eating disorder where people eat more amount of food in a small amount of time. Then they attempt to get rid of the consumed food out by vomiting to lose their weight. When they do this often, the acidity in vomit damages your tooth enamel and erode it.

Bruxism

Bruxism or teeth grinding is another problem which occurs mainly due to anxiety or stress. Occasional teeth grinding is normal, and it won’t make any problem. Regular teeth grinding should be noticeable and must be treated. When they left untreated, the enamel will be removed slowly, leading to enamel wear, and a chip, or crack in the tooth.

Health disorders

Some health disorders are also associated with these enamel erosion.

There are some symptoms that help you know your enamel is eroding:

1) Sensitivity in tooth

2) Pain and discomfort

3) Tooth discoloration (yellowish teeth)

4) A chip or crack in the tooth

5) Translucent or shiny teeth

If you notice these symptoms, consult a dentist to get the problem fixed earlier. There are some preventive measures also to prevent enamel erosion. They are:

1) Avoiding or minimizing certain foods from your diet.

2) Following proper dental hygiene routine.

3) Wearing a mouthguard if you have bruxism.

4) Dental bonding treatment.

5) Crowns or veneers treatment.

Follow these preventive measures to avoid various teeth problems in the future. If you found any of the symptoms matching you, consult a dentist immediately.