Do Children Get Cavities from Eating Too Much Candy?
Can children eat candy:
Children naturally have a preference for sweets, and sugar is one of the basic nutrients for humans. Sugar is divided into fructose, sucrose, and polysaccharides, with sucrose being the main component in candies. Staple foods like steamed buns and rice belong to polysaccharides. Sucrose is the most cariogenic component.
In fact, if a child has a normal weight and is in good health overall, consuming candy will not have too many negative effects on the body. However, for children who are weak and have a poor appetite, eating candy before meals is not recommended as it can affect their appetite and hinder their ability to eat. For children who are overweight or have diabetes, it is naturally not recommended to eat candy as it can impose a greater burden on their bodies.
Does eating candy always lead to cavities?
Cavities are not caused by a single factor, according to the classic theory of four or three factors. The four factors that can lead to cavities are microorganisms, food, host, and time. Cavities are defined as a "chronic infectious disease induced by a bacterial plaque." Among them, bacteria play the most significant role.
From a food perspective, sources of simple sugars include carbonated drinks, cookies, cakes, candies, cereals, potato chips, French fries, corn chips, checkered biscuits, bread, fruit juice, and fruits. In fact, not only sugar-containing foods, but all foods that can cause cavities must interact with bacterial plaque, i.e., adhere to the plaque for a long time and undergo acid production through bacterial action. Therefore, the source of cavities is not only the sugar component but also includes sticky foods, carbohydrates, beverages, etc., that can adhere to the tooth surface for a long time without being cleaned, leading to a predisposition to cavities.
You may often tell your children that eating candy will cause cavities, but is it really because they eat too much sugar?
Are cavities in children caused by eating too much sugar?
Eating sugar is only one factor but not the main factor. The main factor is related to the child's oral environment.
Most people know that tooth decay is an acid erosion phenomenon and believe that tooth decay is most common in children who eat sweets. This is mainly because the enamel of children's teeth is immature, and their ability to resist acid erosion is much lower than that of adults. In addition, children have a preference for sweet and dairy products, and their self-awareness of oral hygiene is relatively poor. Residues of sweet and dairy products that remain in the oral cavity can quickly ferment and transform into highly acidic substances, posing a threat to tooth enamel. Therefore, children, especially those who do not have the habit of brushing their teeth before bedtime, as well as adults, are at high risk of cavities. The emphasis on brushing teeth before bedtime is because the oral cavity itself is an extremely acidic environment. This physiological feature is for antibacterial and digestive assistance, but when the acidity is too high, it also has adverse effects, and the first manifestation is "tooth decay".
The acidity of the oral cavity is regulated and diluted by saliva, but when a person is asleep, saliva secretion in the oral cavity is significantly reduced. If there are organic substances such as food residues (especially sugars and dairy products) present at this time, they will ferment and transform into acidic substances, raising the acidity of the oral cavity to a peak level, resulting in extremely strong acid erosion of the teeth.
Why do children get cavities? Is it because of eating too much sugar? How to prevent cavities in children?
Preventing cavities in children
1. Don't indulge in foods that harm dental health: High-sugar, refined, soft, and sticky foods tend to adhere to the tooth surface and are difficult to clean. Under the action of cariogenic bacteria, they can produce a large amount of acid, leading to cavities. Oral experts suggest that children should eat more low-sugar, fibrous, and coarse foods, such as corn, buckwheat, celery, and fruits, which are beneficial for teeth cleaning.
2. Seal the fissures: Currently, the most effective method for preventing cavities is sealing fissures. Fissure sealing does not remove the occlusal surface tooth tissue but applies a layer of adhesive resin on it to protect the enamel from bacterial invasion and metabolic erosion, enhancing the tooth's resistance to decay and achieving the purpose of preventing cavities. Fissure sealing is like putting on protective clothing for children's teeth, providing lifelong benefits.
3. Regular dental check-ups: Regularly take your child for comprehensive dental check-ups, which can not only detect cavities in time but also identify other oral diseases. Experts from RuiLi Dental Hospital recommend that parents take their children to the dentist every 3 to 6 months.
4. Proper and effective brushing: Due to children's slower movements and lack of patience, experts from RuiLi Dental Hospital recommend that children learn simple and effective brushing techniques. Brushing vertically in the morning and evening, i.e., brushing from top to bottom for upper teeth and from bottom to top for lower teeth, and brushing back and forth on the occlusal surface. The inner sides of the teeth should also be brushed, and each brushing session should last 2 to 3 minutes. Proper and effective brushing can remove food residues on the tooth surface and effectively prevent cavities.
