Periodontal disease is a collective term used to describe two related gum diseases called gingivitis and periodontitis. They occur when a material called plaque builds up on the surfaces of your teeth and triggers destructive changes in your gums and associated tissue. While sugar-containing soft drinks can react with plaque and degrade the health of your teeth, it is the presence of plaque itself that leads to periodontal disease.
Understanding Periodontal Disease
Dental plaque is formed from a combination of the bacteria that naturally inhabit your mouth, cells called epithelial cells, saliva and certain types of white blood cells. This mixture continually coats your teeth and can harden in place if you don't brush and floss regularly. Dentists refer to this hardened plaque as tartar. Over time, the plaque and tartar on your teeth can irritate your gums and trigger an inflammation called gingivitis. If you don't get treatment for gingivitis, gum inflammation can lead to periodontitis, which is characterized by an infection of your gums and underlying bone and connective tissue.
Soft Drinks and Decay
When you consume anything that contains sugar, this sugar reacts with the plaque on your teeth and creates corrosive acids, according to the American Dental Association. These acids eat at the hardened outer surface of your teeth, which is called the enamel. Over time, this process can lead to the formation of holes in your enamel that damage the structural integrity of your teeth. The common term for this series of events is tooth decay. Sugar-based soft drinks typically expose your teeth to considerable amounts of sugar. If you don't brush your teeth regularly, this sugar content can significantly contribute to the onset and worsening of tooth decay.
Periodontal Disease Risk Factors
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research lists known risk factors for the development of periodontal disease that include smoking, genetic predisposition, hormonal alterations in women and girls, use of medications that reduce your mouth's saliva levels, diabetes and the presence or treatment of HIV/AIDS or cancer. Typically, signs of gingivitis and periodontitis begin to appear in your 30s or 40s. However, gingivitis in particular can also appear in teenagers. Men develop periodontal disease more frequently than women.
Considerations
Reduce your chances for developing tooth decay by taking steps that include decreasing your intake of sugar-based soft drinks, brushing your teeth twice a day, cleaning your teeth daily with dental floss, limiting your intake of sugar-containing snacks, making regular visits to your dentist and eating a generally well-balanced diet. You can also reduce your chances for developing periodontal disease through regular brushing and flossing, dental visits and maintenance of a balanced diet, in addition to quitting or avoiding smoking. Consult your dentist for more information on soft drinks, tooth decay and periodontal disease.
References
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research: Periodontal (Gum) Disease: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments
- American Dental Association: Disease, Gum (Periodontal Disease)
- American Dental Association: Diet and Oral Health
- University of California Los Angeles; Microbiology of Dental Plaque; Susan Kinder Haake
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