• HEALTH & RECOVERY
    Welcome Guest
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules Thread Directory 1 Thread Directory 2
    Mindfulness Links Addiction & Mind
    Sober Living Partner Program (SLiPP)
  • H&R Moderators: VerbalTruist | cdin | Lil'LinaptkSix

What causes tooth decay besides sugar?

swilow

swilow

Sr. Moderator: AADD, CE&P, TD
Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2005
Messages
33,317
Hi there,

So I gave up sugar some time ago, mainly to save my teeth, I'm a skinny fuck. During addict days, they feel into disrepair :\ and I have spent well over $10000 to get them fixed (fillings/root canals/removals/replacement/whitening). They look nice due to the whitening but are still not great, I grind my teeth in my sleep- I have a mouth-guard but it makes me gag, my mouth fills with saliva, so I only wear it if I've had an anxious day as I tend to grind more. Grinding has caused my teeth to crack. I have receding gums from smoking and a lot of the fillings were very deep and I was told that it is 'possible' that they too will require more $3000 root canals or removals. I really want to avoid that.

Anyway, I have a sweet tooth too! :! So I have exchanged my previous lust for sugary energy drinks for sugar free products, I consume no lollies (candy to you subhumans) or other sugary foods besides the occaisional muffin. I am a fiend for 'energy drinks' though, I am a huge consumer of caffeine. I have maybe 10 coffees a day.

I was wondering whether 'sugar free' drinks are also bad for your teeth.

And what other substances cause tooth decay. I understand that it is actually acid producing bacteria consuming food on our teeth (ffs being a human is so fucking degrading :D) that cause the decay- I think I understand that at least, so theoretically washing your mouth out with water after eating should avoid this... But are there particular things that are more sought after by tooth-decay causing bacteria inside our mouths living, shitting, mating, dying?
 
Last edited:
Most energy drinks are very acidic. Even sugar-free coke (thanks to phosphoric acid) has a very low (acidic) pH (about 2 I believe). Avoid.

As far as avoiding foods, the acid-producing oral bacteria will feed on complex carbohydrate sources very happily (bread, pasta, rice etc). Vegetables, fats and proteins are generally decomposed by other bacteria. So a low-carb diet may help (also with regards to lowering blood sugar, which can 'seep' into saliva somewhat and feed the bacteria that way), and the good bacteria will crowd out the bad naturally.

Washing your mouth out with water won't help that much as many of the food particles get stuck in between the teeth. Flossing and brushing is better (also brushing your tongue).

You should also avoid using mouthwashes: they'll kill off good bacteria, and the bad may grow back faster, resulting in decay while the balance is restored.
 
Awesome man, Thankyou! Really, a sugar free energy drink a day is the worse thing I consume but I shall forgo it henceforth. I prefer coffee anyway (which is also acidic? I know it stains teeth). I think mouth washing with water after a drink is probably effective, moreso then with food. Good points CFC :)

I floss daily and brush twice w day for a good 4 minutes but I'm told that overbrushing can damage enamel too. I do use a soft brush.

Do you floss after every meals? What about sugar free chewing gum, I always chew it after eating... I think it increases saliva production and helps to wash away food and stuff.

In regard the diet stuff, my diet is relatively good. I'm an ex-vegan, now vegetarian eating some dairy and eggs (neighbour has chickens). Very little bread, mainly rice/tofu/vegies, I started to really love ice cream again... :\

I also like donuts.

I have lost weight over the last years, currently 73kg, a diet with more protein and fat sounds fucking great :) I want a bit more fat on me anyhow..

(bit high ;))
 
You didn't mention, but I assume you use an electric toothbrush? My teeth sensitivity improved a lot when I started using one of those 2-3 times a day. I was never taught the correct way to brush as a child so my method was wrong for years.

It makes me so anxious when they hurt - I bet we've all had the dream about them falling out.
 
Smoking, not having enough saliva, lack of fluoride, and diabetes can all contribute to tooth decay.
 
Hmm. I do have an electric brush but I thought they could cause gum recession/trauma. I'm already worried about that, my gums have receded prob from tobacco and debauchery, will an electric brush make it worse?

I'm not all that vain but I get really concerned about my teeth. The pain part sucks but isn't present too much currently (besides hot/cold sensitivity) but I worry about their appearance. I whiten my teeth relatively regularly but was told that can weaken teeth too.

Basically, I need to change all my bad habits. :|
 
Tooth whitening is actually beneficial in fighting decay. The active ingredient carbamide peroxide is broken down to create hydrogen peroxide and a number of byproducts including urea, which actually raises the pH of your mouth, reducing its acidity. A low pH not sugars creates the perfect environment for tooth decay. Tooth whitening also reduces plaque levels in the mouth.

Your highly acidic energy drinks are a big problem. An acidic mouth also causes enamel erosion, slowly dissolving the tooth. A tell tale sign are small crater like pits that form on the tips of your cusps. Acid slightly softens the tooth surface, which grinding will then rapidly wear away

Tooth grinding is also related to airway issues. Often people with blocked sinuses and snoring will be heavy Bruxers. Another side effect of such airway issues is high blood pressure and reflux, which once again raises the acidity of your mouth.
 
StoneHappyMonday said:
FTfuckingW man. Such a difference.
Click to expand...

Massive difference. My teeth were killing me for ages until I invested in an oral b.

swilow said:
Hmm. I do have an electric brush but I thought they could cause gum recession/trauma. I'm already worried about that, my gums have receded prob from tobacco and debauchery, will an electric brush make it worse?
Click to expand...

I guess that it's more about the technique than the instrument used. If you don't want receding gums then don't brush too hard, and avoid the gums. I'd imagine this is easier with the rotation of an electric toothbrush and the sensors which tell you things like if you're brushing too long/hard.
 
Streptococcus mutans is the most common "bad bacteria" in the mouth of people with tooth decay. I always wondered my whole life why some people can eat sugar and never get cavities. The reason is that the bad bacteria aren't present or they are outnumbered by good flora like those in the lactobacillus family. I'm continually amazed and how the health of the gut relates to so many health conditions that it has basically become the primary reason for most physical degeneration, after aging.

Apparently taking L. reuteri can reduce tooth decay. I started taking it for auto-immune reasons but I've noticed my teeth have less plaque on them in general.
 
The way I prevent my teeth hurting and seem to keep them in better condition than I used to:

  • Brushing after every meal i.e three times a day
  • Avoiding sugar
  • Avoiding alcohol
  • Avoiding coca cola
  • Using an electric toothbrush and spending 30 seconds on each quarter of my teeth (i.e front left, front right, bottom left, bottom right)
  • Using mouth wash

My dentist couldn't find any problems, but if I don't do this they hurt a lot and it starts to really bother me.

I also whitened mine by using what I seem to remember was medical grade hydrogen peroxide.
 
Last edited:
swilow said:
Awesome man, Thankyou! Really, a sugar free energy drink a day is the worse thing I consume but I shall forgo it henceforth. I prefer coffee anyway (which is also acidic? I know it stains teeth). I think mouth washing with water after a drink is probably effective, moreso then with food. Good points CFC :)

I floss daily and brush twice w day for a good 4 minutes but I'm told that overbrushing can damage enamel too. I do use a soft brush.

Do you floss after every meals? What about sugar free chewing gum, I always chew it after eating... I think it increases saliva production and helps to wash away food and stuff.

In regard the diet stuff, my diet is relatively good. I'm an ex-vegan, now vegetarian eating some dairy and eggs (neighbour has chickens). Very little bread, mainly rice/tofu/vegies, I started to really love ice cream again... :\

I also like donuts.

I have lost weight over the last years, currently 73kg, a diet with more protein and fat sounds fucking great :) I want a bit more fat on me anyhow..

(bit high ;))
Click to expand...

Coffee's not overly acidic, especially white coffee.

General nutrition is definitely important for tooth enamel. Your saliva bathes them in minerals (like phosphorus, calcium and magnesium) that remineralise the surface after you eat. If you're malnourished, your teeth will thus decay regardless of the amount of care you take because you've too few minerals in your saliva.

For this reason (and counterintuitively) some dentists believe that plaque may actually be helpful for the remineralisation process because it concentrates the saliva and minerals at the surface of the tooth where it's needed (and also fluoride). Consequently the best teeth may belong to those with the best and most diverse bacterial flora, rather than the 'cleanest' teeth.

It's from that perspective that I account for my own situation. Because I do many things wrong diet-wise (eat lots of sweet sugary food), and only brush and floss once-a-day (before bed, but extremely thoroughly), but have never had a filling or any significant decay.
 
Very helpful guys, thank you!

OTW, my dentist doesn't like whitening my teeth, she thinks its pointless because I smoke tobacco. Any merit in that? I mean, my teeth are white so it certainly works. I'm gonna get a mould so I can do it st home, its cheaper in the long run. How often is okay?

Thanks so much. :)
 
Last edited:
Also, I take pregabalin for sciatica, and I use codeine most days and accompanying promethazine. I smoke weed too. I often have dry mouth, basically all the above drugs cause this. I suspect that this is a problem...
 
Yes, dry mouth will lead to cavities. Try using biotene mouthwash at night if you wake up with dry mouth.

Also when you brush, don't rinse immediately with water, you want to keep that fluoride on your teeth. I use sensodyne toothpaste, it really helps fight off tooth sensitivity.
 
swilow said:
Very helpful guys, thank you!

OTW, my dentist doesn't like whitening my teeth, she thinks its pointless because I smoke tobacco. Any merit in that? I mean, my teeth are white so it certainly works. I'm gonna get a mould so I can do it st home, its cheaper in the long run. How often is okay?

Thanks so much. :)
Click to expand...

Whitening works best over time. The younger you start the better the overall shade of your teeth and the easier to maintain a whiter, youthful shade. Nicotine is mostly surface deposits, easily polished off by a hygienist. Who is she to decide what is pointless?

Find a better dentist who is more cosmetically inclined
 
swilow said:
Very helpful guys, thank you!

OTW, my dentist doesn't like whitening my teeth, she thinks its pointless because I smoke tobacco. Any merit in that? I mean, my teeth are white so it certainly works. I'm gonna get a mould so I can do it st home, its cheaper in the long run. How often is okay?

Thanks so much. :)
Click to expand...

Edit: The following is potentially shady and I don't know very much about it at all, so do your own research.

I bought some 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide and swilled it around my mouth for about 30 seconds or so (exact details on google). I was looking into buying relatively expensive stuff, but found out on the internet that you might as well save yourself the hassle of expensive re-labelled and re-packaged bleach and go straight for the active ingredient. 250ml lasted me for ages.

You might want to clarify this is actually a valid/good idea, of course. You know a lot more about chemistry than I do, iirc.
 
Last edited:
I'm not too sure. Did it whiten your teeth?

ps. Very limited chemistry knowledge here. :)

OTW, my dentist is great but hates smoking so she seems to try and guilt trip me about it. :\ She did say that bleaching "opens pores" (paraphrasing) and smoking immediatelu after treatment can lead to deeper stains. True? I smoke 4-5 rollies q day, can go without as needed. I used to be q very heavy smoker though. Before commencing treatnent (extractions/multiple fillings/root canals/whitening) about 3 years ago, my teeth were awful. Quite stained, decaying, broken. Fucked. It really bothered me but they are better now, no pain, looking nice. Though sone back molars are almost all filling, one is almost black- I think it needs a root canal. No pain though but it doesn't like hot or cold very much. I sense that tooth may not be with us much longer.

You guys are great and its fucking awesome having a goddamn reformed hippy dentist on Bluelight :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top