For our entire lives, we’ve been told that sugar is the main cause of cavities and other dental problems, advice that still rings true. In fact, from gum disease to dental caries, sugar is a key component in almost all dental problems that develop in your mouth. Discover what life may be like for someone who chooses to eat a high-sugar diet while neglecting their daily oral care routine.
How Sugar Causes Infections and Decay
With its sweet and addictive taste, it may be easy to consider sugar as completely harmless, but for your teeth, nothing could be further from the truth. Whether in the form of traditional white sugar, bread, potatoes, or other starches, sugar sticks to your teeth when you bite into it.
Once the sugar is clinging to your teeth, it attracts bacteria that consumes it, leaving behind acids that corrode the enamel. When this gathered bacteria, also known as plaque, seeps down into the gumline it can cause gum disease. When a person doesn’t brush their teeth, this sugar and plaque has a chance to thrive, leading to a host of undesirable dental problems.
Excessive Neglect Will Lead to Tooth Loss
Fantasizing about eating whatever you want without concern for your teeth is one thing, but actually doing it will lead to a major drop in your quality of life. The momentary excitement from eating all the sugar you want will be overshadowed by the pain, shame, and discomfort of suffering from major dental problems. Ultimately, the decision to eat recklessly without brushing your teeth will lead to major problems like misalignment, tooth loss, and problems that affect your overall health.
Misalignment Due to Dental Neglect
Before your teeth actually fall out, there will be a period of corrosion and decay as they suffer from day after day of plaque damage. While the enamel may be permanently damaged, the teeth may diminish until their size changes within your mouth. This can upset the bite enough to not only make eating difficult but can also alter the alignment of your teeth altogether, especially if some are already missing.
Can Dental Misalignment Be Fixed?
If you’ve neglected your teeth for a long time and they need realigning treatment, all hope isn’t lost. Although they’ll have to be in good health prior to receiving orthodontic treatment, an experienced clear braces specialist like Dr. Stephen Grussmark in Miami will be able to determine the best way to realign even the most severely neglected smiles.
What Happens When You’ve Lost Your Teeth?
If you’re planning on feasting on a variety of sugary sweets for the rest of your life, it’s inevitable your teeth won’t survive for very long. After seeing them decay and become smaller and darker, eventually, the fibers holding your teeth in place will dissipate, causing your teeth to become loose and completely fall out. If you think that without teeth your problems are over, that’s far from the case because gum disease is still a major threat and there are numerous consequences caused by simply living with missing teeth.
The Best Solution for Replacing Your Missing Teeth
If you’re missing one or all of your teeth and have decided to seek treatment, your best option for a beautiful, realistic replacement is to get dental implants. Not only do dental implants simulate a natural tooth, but they use a titanium fixture to provide a replacement tooth root as well. To find out if dental implants are ideal for you, schedule a consultation with an implant specialist, like Dr. Sheldon Sullivan of Gilbert, AZ.
Dental Neglect and Other Health Problems
Did you know that severe gum disease can lead to life-threatening problems like heart disease and stroke? One aspect of your health that can lead to worsening health all around is sleep apnea, and it can be an additional cause of your poor dental health. Eating unlimited amounts of sugar and suffering from dental problems creates a fertile breeding ground for sleep apnea to develop as well.
Is There Any Hope if You Can’t Sleep Through the Night?
While it’s not guaranteed that you’ll develop sleeping problems if you eat sugar and neglect your teeth, many of the symptoms are shared so it’s more likely than not. If you do have trouble sleeping through the night and it’s affecting your partner as well, you can visit a sleep specialist like Dr. Kellye Rice of Brentwood, TN. No matter how bad your oral health and sleep patterns have gotten, help is still available in the form of oral appliances.
Minimize Sugar and Brush Daily for a Smile You’ll Be Proud Of
Clearly, choosing to live a life of eating the high sugar foods you want with minimal attention to your oral health is not a recipe for a healthy smile. But by simply making it to your biannual appointments and maintaining proper oral care at home, you can avoid many of the problems caused by dental neglect.