Snacking is a great way to help control hunger and increase energy. However, snacking can also intensely impact oral health. It can increase the risk of gum disease, tooth decay, and other dental problems.
To maintain good dental health, avoid snacking before bedtime. You should also brush and floss regularly.
Here are six ways snacking affects your dental health.
- It Increases the Risk of Decay and Cavities
The longer your teeth stay stacked with sugary bits, the more vulnerable they are to bacteria. This stickiness encourages the growth of bacteria. In addition, sugar tends to remain in the mouth all day, leading to bad breath.
Bacteria can also cause tooth decay and cavities. When teeth are exposed to bacteria, the tissue that protects them decays and can die.
Brushing well helps keep your mouth clean, and tooth decay won’t have a chance to start. If you have sugar and other snacks, try brushing your teeth as soon as possible. Ridding your mouth of food particles, especially sugary ones, can prevent any plaque build-up.
- It Increases Risk of Gum Disease
As mentioned, sugary foods attract bacteria that stick to your teeth. More bacteria mean more gum disease. Bacteria results in inflammation and irritation of gum tissues.
Gum diseases like periodontitis eat away the gum tissues around your teeth. When this happens, it causes various health issues and even tooth loss. Luckily, there are ways to avoid gum diseases. Try chewing sugarless foods like raw vegetables.
Most importantly, keep your mouth clean and protect your gums.
- Candy and Sweets Lead to Tooth Erosion
Sugar-coated, hard candies can break down the enamel, the protective covering on teeth. Eating these candies after cleaning your teeth has led to tooth erosion.
Tooth enamel can increase teeth sensitivity, especially in kids, making them grind their teeth in response. A child may grind their teeth mainly at night while sleeping.
Dental night guards can protect the teeth during sleep. Unfortunately, grinding can lead to more damage to the teeth and make them weak. You can prevent more damage to the teeth by using a kids mouth guard for teeth grinding.
- Affects Acidity Levels in Your Mouth
Gum health is affected by the acidity levels in the mouth. Bacteria in the mouth break down sugar when you eat or drink snacks. Too much bacteria results in acids that can cause tooth decay. When your mouth is in an acidic environment for too long, it can cause enamel erosion, the softening of tooth enamel, and the first sign of cavities.
The saliva glands ensure that your pH levels are at a certain level for good oral health. Depending on what you eat, the PH levels go up and down depending on the circumstances. Ideally, your PH levels should be at an ideal level to maintain oral health.
- Some Snacks Cracks the Teeth
Some snacks crack your teeth when you try to break them into pieces. Foods like hard candy, nuts, ice pops, and unpopped popcorn can damage your teeth. The cracked teeth can become a breeding ground for bacteria which may result in cavities and other issues. Plus, the crack in your teeth may require pulling or filling a tooth.
It’s best to avoid eating hard foods to spare your teeth from getting cracked and chipped. Furthermore, it’s vital to keep bacteria away and instead fill your body with healthy eats.
- It Turns your Teeth Yellow
Snacking on colored foods and drinks can lead to discoloration of the teeth. They may also cause yellowish stains on the teeth. The stains especially appear when you eat food with artificial coloring ingredients. In addition, taking in excess fluoride can cause staining of the tooth enamel. Plus, it may also be linked to problems such as broken capillaries in the gums.
Conclusion
Snacking can affect the quality of your oral health. It goes beyond the risks of cavities, gums infection, and tooth decay. You may also have health problems caused by sugary things. Thankfully, you can avoid all these oral health problems. Focus on following a good oral routine and eating healthy foods. You’ll keep your teeth and gums healthy by putting in the effort.