Waking up with a toothache is probably one of the worst sensations you can have. It is impossible to get back to sleep after this type of pulsating pain strikes, and it can be extremely distressing for children and adults. One of the most common causes of toothache is an oral health problem we all think we know very well. Tooth decay is to blame, but what’s the cause?
You would probably reply tooth decay is caused by eating too much sugar, which is true. But there are many other hidden causes of tooth decay are need to know if you really want to keep your dental health for longer. Do you want to know 9 surprising causes of tooth decay?
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Surprising causes of tooth decay
Besides sugar cravings and not having good hygiene, there are plenty of reasons why one would develop tooth cavities and severe problems in the long run. This is a list of the most important causes of tooth decay people usually do not mention:
Dry mouth syndrome
This is the top reason why people get unexpected tooth problems. Dry mouth syndrome is a chronic problem where people do not create enough saliva, or their saliva becomes too thin and insufficient. Saliva does not only lubricate your mouth; it also helps your organism fight pathogen bacteria that normally live and pass through your mouth. When it is absent, patients have a higher risk of all kinds of tooth problems, including tooth decay, tooth cavities, and even gum disease. Even if you suffer from allergies or started taking certain medications that dry your mouth, be careful and talk to your doctor about this new condition because it may carry around other unexpected consequences, and it won’t be solved by just sipping on water.
Cough drops and other medications
We just mentioned how a few medication can cause tooth dryness and create the perfect environment for bacterial growth and tooth decay. But when they have a dry mouth, sometimes they use cough drops and other measures to moisturize the oral cavity. Sucking on these cough drops is not a good idea, and it is even worse If you got a dry mouth. They have dextrose and other ingredients that will combine with the overgrowth of bacteria and contribute to tooth decay. If you want to moisture your mouth, the best way to do so is through xylitol, an ingredient of chewing gum. Oh, and look for a sugar-free chewing gum instead of commercial and sugar-explosive brands.
Teeth grinding and biting your fingernails
Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is an unconscious movement of your teeth at night when you’re asleep. It is typically caused by problems in the alignment of the teeth, and patients with bruxism will develop jaw pain, sensibility, and it predisposes to tooth decay and cracked teeth. Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem, and you can use a nightguard to prevent this from happening.
On the other hand, biting your fingernails is something you do consciously, even though it counts as a nervous tic or a sign of anxiety. This practice does not only damages your teeth mechanically but also transfers bacteria from your fingernails into your teeth and gums. So, if you have this problem, look for any way to relieve tension with a stress ball or anything else.
Eating disorders
There’s much to say about eating disorders, and it is quite a long topic to talk about, especially when we start discussing the side effects or consequences. One of them is tooth decay, and there’s a pretty much convincing explanation to it. Not every eating disorder is the same, but some of them have two different characteristics: people who are overeating, and people who are purging (or in other words, they provoke their own vomiting episodes after eating).
In other cases, they do not have enough food, which makes them susceptible to nutrient deficiencies that may speed up tooth decay. Overeating may result in keeping food particles constantly attached to the teeth, and vomiting constantly leads to erosion of the tooth enamel because your oral cavity and your teeth are not meant to withstand the acidity of your stomach contents.
Food allergies
Allergies usually have their effects in localized areas of your body, such as your skin, your respiratory system, and your gut. However, if you have food allergies, your problems are not only limited to abdominal cramps and bloating. The consistency of your saliva may start to change as well, especially if there is a long-standing and severe food allergy. Instead of having thick saliva, your thin saliva will not be able to hold back bacteria so much, and they will start attacking your teeth.
Milk and dairy
Milk and dairy are superstars for nutritionists, and they do give you a lot of vitamins and minerals. Milk is an excellent source of calcium, but the natural sugar milk has can be a hidden cause of cavities, especially if you follow that tradition of drinking a glass of milk before going to bed. Similarly, yogurt is not the best choice because, even if a substantial part of lactose is fermented by bacteria, they turn yogurt into an acidic food that contributes to eroding your tooth enamel, adding up to tooth decay. So, the best option to consume these nutrition superstars is early in the day, and brushing your teeth a few minutes after (not immediately).
Wine
Wine appears to be one of the best alcoholic beverages, but drinking too often is not the best idea if you want to maintain proper oral health. We can start talking about red wine and how it gets a bad reputation for staining your teeth. But even if you think you can spare that problem with white wine, things are apparently not that way. According to research performed at the Johannes Gutenberg University, people who drank more wine, regardless of the variety, had severe tooth enamel problems for the following 24 hours. These problems predispose patients to develop cavities and may contribute to progression of the disease when it is already present.
Brushing your teeth at inappropriate times
People would think that brushing their teeth is something appropriate to keep excellent oral health, and that’s right. But there’s also a breach between brushing your teeth appropriately and doing it at inappropriate times or with a bad technique. If you care for your dental health and have acquired the habit of brushing immediately after eating something, you might think you’re doing something good, except you’re not. Immediately after eating, your mouth becomes a bit acidic, and brushing in that precise moment will expose your teeth to a mildly acidic environment. Thus, instead of brushing immediately, wait 30 minutes, and your saliva will bring back your mouth into an alkaline state, and that’s an appropriate time for brushing your teeth.
Location of your tooth
It might seem strange, but certain locations of your teeth may predispose to tooth decay. This is something that is completely out of hand because it depends on our anatomy, so be careful and talk to your dentist about your options. Tooth location is sometimes very bad and difficult to reach in molar and some premolar teeth. In certain positions, they might be predisposed to collect food particles and become an ongoing source of food for bacteria. That is why it is very important to brush your teeth after each meal, and it will be even better if you can floss. However, keep in mind waiting a few minutes to allow saliva to do its work, and do not brush too hard.
As you can see, there are many reasons why you can get tooth decay problems without sugar. If you read the whole list, you may have noticed that many of these surprising reasons had to do with your saliva and whether it is thin or thick. Still, if you cover everything and still experience this problem, keep in mind there are also genetic factors and nutritional deficiencies that may be behind this problem.
The best idea to find a fitting solution for yourself is to talk to your dentist about your concerns and follow his instructions on how to brush correctly, what sort of treatments you need to prevent cavities and tooth decay, and follow his advice on the type of foods and drinks you should avoid, and your oral hygiene routine.