The Relationship Between Tooth Decay and Nutrition
Tooth decay is an infectious disease caused by poor nutrition and inadequate oral hygiene. Its infectious nature is due to the transfer of various bacteria and fungi responsible for decay, such as Streptococcus mutans, from the mother’s mouth to the baby’s mouth. These bacteria and fungi need to feed to survive and reproduce, and they primarily use carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are not only a source of energy for humans but also the food source for microorganisms that cause tooth decay. These microorganisms feed on carbohydrates, producing acids that lead to tooth decay.
Understanding the carbohydrates that cause tooth decay and when to allow children to consume them can significantly prevent tooth decay. Carbohydrates that contribute to decay are mainly classified into simple and complex sugars. Simple sugars include sucrose found in white and brown sugar (also known as table sugar), fructose in fruits, fructose and glucose in honey, and lactose in milk. Foods containing these substances, whether homemade or store-bought, contain simple sugars. Complex sugars are starches found in foods like potatoes, rice, bread, wheat cereal, raisins, and grain-based foods. Both types of sugars contribute to decay in varying degrees. Simple sugars are metabolized more quickly by decay-causing microorganisms, leading to acid formation, while starch adheres to the teeth for a longer time, giving microorganisms more time to produce acid.
Among these sugars, sucrose causes the most tooth decay, followed by glucose and fructose, while lactose causes the least.
SO, DOES MILK CAUSE TOOTH DECAY?
Despite containing lactose, milk is considered tooth-friendly because the proteins, calcium, and phosphates in both breast milk and cow’s milk neutralize acids in the mouth.
WHAT FOODS HELP PREVENT TOOTH DECAY?
Some foods prevent tooth decay due to their ingredients and physical properties. For example, tannins in cocoa, casein peptides in cheese, phytates in grains, proteins in peanuts, and proteins, calcium, and phosphorus in milk neutralize acids produced by microorganisms, thereby preventing decay. For instance, giving children high-cocoa dark chocolate when they crave chocolate, providing cheese after breakfast with honey or jam, offering nuts like hazelnuts and peanuts as snacks, and avoiding added sugar in milk can be effective strategies to reduce tooth decay.
Additionally, high-quality protein-rich foods such as meat, eggs, cheese, fish, and legumes reduce the risk of decay.
Raw vegetables and fruits like carrots and celery, despite containing sugars, help clean the teeth and stimulate saliva production due to their fibrous and crunchy nature, thereby preventing decay.
WHICH GUMS HELP PREVENT TOOTH DECAY?
Sugar-free gums are recommended after carbohydrate-rich meals as they clean teeth mechanically and stimulate saliva production. However, their lack of flavor can make them less appealing to children.
Gums containing xylitol, a type of sugar substitute, are suitable alternatives as they are both enjoyable for children and do not allow microorganisms to metabolize and produce acid. Xylitol is naturally found in various foods such as birch trees, blackberries, strawberries, green salad, cauliflower, plums, peanuts, bananas, and mushrooms, and scientific studies have shown that it also reduces the number of microorganisms in the mouth.
The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes reducing the quantity and frequency of simple sugars to prevent tooth decay, highlighting that not adding extra sugar during food production is crucial in preventing this chronic disease in children.
For any questions or consultations, our team is here to assist you.
Prof. Dr. Ayça Tuba Ulusoy
Specialist in Pediatric Dentistry
Yummy Teeth Pediatric & Adolescent
Oral and Dental Health Clinic
Atakum/Samsun