Common Diseases which Cause Tooth Decay

No part of our body functions completely independently, and our teeth aren’t an exception to that either. Tooth decay is caused by more than just bad hygiene, and tooth decay is really a warning sign that there is a large problem happening in the body. There are many diseases which cause this too, and if you’re thinking about visiting your dentist, you should also look at your medical history and lifestyle. Understanding the entire picture will help you understand why things are happening, and some of the different reasons behind it.

So, what are some common diseases which naturally cause tooth decay.  Well, we’ll go over a few, and if you do suffer from any of these, consult a doctor to talk about this, and inform your dentist during your next appointment.

First, we have diabetes. This is the most significant one, since it does have a direct correlation with tooth decay. Essentially, diabetes is where your blood sugar is high because insulin isn’t being made to counteract this. Your mouth is naturally affected by this, and one of the common symptoms is of course, dry mouth. This can make your mouth feel uncomfortable in most cases, and saliva is used to protect against the bacteria which cause tooth decay. If you don’t have enough, your teeth are more vulnerable, and you can develop more caries and tooth decay.  You’re also at a higher risk for gum disease, and most people who have diabetes inevitably develop this.  Gum disease can also make your diabetes more severe, which is why you should inform your doctor of any of this.

Next, there are autoimmune conditions, which is essentially a condition where the body attacks itself, such as the kidneys, or even your salivary glands.  You can also have autoimmune conditions which impact the mouth, such as Sjogren’ssyndrome, which affects how much saliva is produced, and in extreme cases you may have zero amounts of saliva.

You will need to visit the dentist more frequently if you do suffer from this, and use mouthwashes and lozenges to help improve your saliva production, but remember if you don’t’ have enough saliva, you can be at risk for tooth decay.

Then finally, there is anorexia and bulimia, which are both severe eating disorders, and essentially, it’s not eating enough, or throwing up food that you eat.

While you’re not getting enough nutrients, this can also affect the health in your teeth. When you throw up, there are acids within the mouth which can break down dentin and your enamel.  That in turn will cause tooth decay.

For those with anorexia, usually they don’t’ eat, and if they do, they eat a bunch of sugary foods, which is basically food for all of those bacteria. Usually, in both these cases, you get bad breath, glands which are swollen, and of course, teeth which look worn down as a result of this.

So yes, all of these are all serious conditions, and you need to be very careful with this, and if you’re not taking care of your teeth, this causes major problems.  You should focus on getting the help that you need and getting assistance for those problems by seeing a dentist whenever you can. They can help you take care of your teeth and preventing worse situations when you see them and get the help that you need, which in turn will help with improving your life, and your wellness too.