Nutrition

Nutrition and caries are closely related. This is particularly evident in the occupational group of bakers. In former times, baker’s caries was a frequently encountered occupational disease, as flour and sugar dust was deposited on the tooth surfaces during work, but a lot of sweets had to be tasted as well.

Today, this disease occurs only rarely due to better working conditions. Healing a caries by a change of diet is only possible when the caries is beginning (initial caries, compare above). A beginning caries has not yet caused a hole in the classical sense, the surface of the tooth is only decalcified and porous (demineralization).

If fluoride is added to this surface, remineralization occurs and the caries is stopped, the caries heals. This supply of fluorides can be done by concentrated gels, toothpaste, but also by diet. Fluoride is usually present in table salt in particular.

With small children, one should be particularly careful to choose only a systemic fluoride supply, otherwise white spots can appear on the teeth (fluorosis). If there is already a hole in the tooth, this is no longer sufficient, usually a dental filling is placed. Doing without “sweets” also helps to prevent caries, because where there is no substrate for the caries bacteria, they cannot produce harmful acids.

Those who cannot do without sweets (including fruit sugar, contained in fruit/juices and dried fruit) should rather have a sugar orgy once a day than eating many smaller sweet snacks, this also applies to children. The consumption of low-molecular carbohydrates (single or double sugars) also promotes caries.If you want to have tooth-friendly snacks throughout the day, dairy products are advisable. Meanwhile, there are also sweets on the market that are marked as tooth-friendly with a dentist’s manikin with umbrella.

The sweeteners sorbitol and especially xylitol are just as harmless. But beware: excessive consumption (>50g/day) can lead to diarrhoea! In addition to proper nutrition, oral hygiene, especially the cleaning of the interstitial space, should also be optimized.

It is also important to avoid permanent malnutrition, including some radical diets. If important minerals are missing, the saliva composition can be disturbed and this in turn promotes the development of caries. Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol.

It is formed within the carbohydrate metabolism. This intermediate product therefore itself does not belong to the “sugars” but to the group of alcohols. Hence the chemical name xylitol.

Compared to household sugar, it has a lower energy content, 2.4 kcal per gram, but is therefore less sweet. It is often used in foods for diabetics or sugar-free foods that are supposed to taste sweet anyway. For example in some dental chewing gums.

Xylitol has the property that it cannot be converted to acid by caries bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans. The tooth is therefore not demineralized. It also has a bacteriostatic effect.

It inhibits the growth of other bacteria and the resulting caries development. If you eat xylitol-containing chewing gums after a meal, they cause a pH value that is closer to neutral instead of acid (more precisely, a pH value of 5.6 after just 30 minutes). Without xylitol, saliva alone would not be able to keep the pH value this close to the neutral milieu.

In order to prevent caries, taking xylitol regularly should also help. Studies recommend 5-7g xylitol per day. More than 50-70 grams leads to diarrhoea.

Caries can only be cured by fasting under certain conditions. A beginning caries (initial caries) can be stopped in combination by “fasting of sweets” and sufficient fluoride intake and oral hygiene. Also the renunciation of fructose and cola drinks is gentle on the teeth.

The consumption of dairy products also helps to stabilize the PH value in the mouth. If, however, a cavity has already been created, the caries can only be removed by a filling. One should also be careful with malnutrition.

A lack of minerals, especially in saliva, can promote the development of caries. Long-term malnutrition can also have negative consequences for the immune system. Gum bleeding and periodontitis are promoted. Vitamin deficiency is associated with the risk of scurvy, collagen can no longer be formed properly. In the past, this was often seen among seafarers who returned after months of sea voyage with a gaping bite.