There is More to Sugar Than Dental Decay

7/25/2019 There is More to Sugar Than Dental Decay

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There Is More To Sugar Than Tooth Decay

By John Utama

We all know the harmful effects of sugar on teeth, the bacteria metabolizethe carbohydrates

releasing acid by- products, and in a short period of

time, combined with poor oral hygiene, holes develop in the enamel.

Spoiled by numerous campaigns,

the Australian public and other devel-

oped countries have been

educated over the last 4 to 5 decades, dental de-

cay is now largely under control(1), but by no means eliminated. Dentists

are still being kept busy managing dental decay in their practices and will

not be out of a job for a while yet.

However, a more insidious and less known consequences of sugar is its ef-

fects on facial growth and airway.

Carbohydrates are essentially made up of multiple

chains of sugar mole-

cules. Once ingested, all carbohydrates are

broken down

into these sim-

ple sugar molecules. Carbohydrates are mostly found in processed foods

and they are not necessarily sweet, such as bread, potatoes, pastas. Some

foods such as tomato sauce is laden with sugar, but the sweetness ismasked by salt. Many people still believe only sweets cause dental decay.

The bottom line is that, whenever carbohydrates are consumed, sugar is

pumped into the body.

Before we discuss the other effects of carbohydrates and therefore sugar,

let me share with you the studies done by Weston Price.

Dr Price was a dentist from Cleveland, USA, in the 1930s, he observed at

his own practice that increasing number of his patients were suffering fromchronic diseases and the younger children in particular had high incidence

of deformed arches, crowded teeth and dental decay. He pondered why this

was happening, as he did not see cases like these 15 years ago.

He has also heard reports that native people who lived in isolated areas did

not have any of these chronic conditions. He then travelled to some of

these isolated villages to satisfy his own curiosity, why are these people so

healthy? And why are so many people back home so unhealthy?


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Dr Price visited isolated places in the Swiss Alps, cold and blustery islands

off

the coast of Scotland, to the Andes mountains in Peru. In total he visit-

ed 14 groups of native people.

He also found that

less than 1% of the population had dental decay and

the majority had well formed dental arches and

facial features. These na-tive people ate what mother nature has provided for them, they ate food

from the ocean and from the ground, absolutely zero refined sugar and

only whole-grain and other unrefined foods.

Fast forward to today, I am seeing

not too dissimilar cases

at my own

practices from those Dr Price observed in the 1930s.

I dare say

I am see-

ing more than he did then.


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Here is a typical consultation at my office for young children.

A 10 year old sits in the dental chair. Mum is concerned

about the childs

crooked teeth, if and when he/she

needs to wear braces.

With these patients, almost without exceptions, I see a small and narrow

jaws, crowded teeth, and there is always a certain degree of mouth breath-ing.

Note that some parents may not be aware that their child has been

mouth breathing (nor themselves). A healthy person breathes through the

nose 100% at rest, the lips are closed together and should only be apart

when eating, talking or while taking breathes after an episode of heavy ex-

ercises.

The picture above shows a chronic mouth breather, typically, the chin

tends to be positioned too far back.

The mouth breathing varies from a subtle opening between the upper and

lower lips to an opened mouth large enough for a Coke can to pass

through.

At rest, the nose is designed for breathing, its tiny hairs inside tend to filtermicrobes, furthermore, it warms and humidifies the air. Chronic mouth

breathing tends to bypass the natural protection and consequently the

bodys immune system has to work harder.


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In many cases, I am also seeing the glazed eyes, dark circles under the

eyes and the creased tip of the nose as illustrated in the photo above. The

picture shows the typical allergic salute, due to chronic irritation of mu-

cus build up in the nasal passages, the child repeatedly rubs the nose ac-companied by the sniffing.

The tonsils and adenoids, as parts of the immune system become enlarged

and therefore constricting the airway further.


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Left untreated, the

airway progressively narrows, reducing the amount of

air

passing through the nasal passages, compromising the growth of the

upper jaw and midface (nasal bones, cheek bones and other bones support-

ing the face), its the use it or lose it principle at work.Mouth breathing also causes the tongue to drop down, unfavourably modi-

fying the ideal horizontal growth to a less favourable vertical growth of the

face, affecting the balance and beauty of the childs face. As discussed in

The hidden dangers behind snoring, the effects of mouth breathing are

still being felt much later on in life. In essence, as shown by the native vil-

lagers in the Dr Price

study, the oral muscles such as the lips and cheeks

on the outside and the tongue in the inside, are our very own orthodontic

appliances, IF they function properly.For proper jaw and facial development the child must develop these

most

important habits:

Breathe through the nose

Lips closed together

Proper swallowing

Whats happening?

In 2014 Grimshaw(2) and associates collected food diaries from the par-

ents of 1,140 babies to see if different types of foods have any influence on

food allergies,

They found that babies without food allergies had a diet that was rich in

healthy, often homemade, foods including fruits, vegetables, poultry and

fish, and

low on processed foods such as pre-made meals, potato chips,

sauces and bacon.

The analysis showed that the infants who were having more fruits and

vegetables and less commercially produced baby foods and also less adult

foods were the ones who were less likely to develop an allergy by the time

they were two, Grimshaw said.

A landmark study in 1973(3) by The American Society for Clinical Nutri-

tion showed the effects of sugar on the immune system. When

100 grams

of sugar is ingested,

(amount equivalent to 1 litre bottle of a soft drink),the white blood cells are 40 percent less effective at killing germs for at

least 5 hours after

sugar consumption! Conversely, they found that fasting
http://thewholedentist.com/2015/12/17/hello-world/


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for 36 hours significantly boosted the immune system, when the sugar lev-

els are at their lowest.

The results of these studies are consistent with Dr Prices findings, pro-

cessed foods tend to cause havoc on the immune system. Allergies causemucus build up in the nasal cavities, hindering nasal breathing. The soft

tissues lining the airway have the tendency to swell up, constricting the

airway further, which leads to mouth breathing. The more severe the air-

way obstruction, the wider the mouth opens.

A recent study(4) also shows some babies are born with heightened re-

sponse to certain types of foods such as peanuts and even pizza. The au-

thors could only speculate the reasons behind this allergic predisposition,but they did consider the possibility of

environmental causation.

It is therefore feasible to conclude

that

consuming diet high in processed

foods, contribute to increasing incidence of allergies in the developed

countries.

Allergies are most complex

human conditions, there

are still a

lot of unanswered questions, however, I believe its combination with stress

and environmental

(chemical) toxins

plays a major part.

How do you suspect if your child has compromised airway?

Mouth Breathing Lips apart. Observe if the lips are apart while at rest, or

while asleep. The further the lips are apart, the narrower is the upper jaw.

Chapped Lips dry lips

Dry mouth

Gingivitis- bleeding gums

Orthodontic issues Crooked teeth, cross bite, overbite, bucked teeth.

Loud grinding of teeth during sleep

Dark circles under the eyes

Change in Head Posture Posturing the head forward and/or tipping the

forehead backwards

Enlarged Tonsil and Adenoid

Chronic sinus problems, throat problems

Snoring Children do not usually snore

Chronic allergies, nasal passages are continuously blocked.

Bed wettingReflux in the Eustachian Tube Leads to inner ear infections


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Management

Now we see the signs of allergies and their effects, what can we do?

The objective is to create the ideal environment for the child to grow opti-

mally.

When the environment is right,

nature will do

its magic in devel-

oping the human body; things start to go wrong when we eat processedfoods

from birth. The good news is that its never too late to treat prob-

lems later in life, once the problems are recognised and identified, we can

facilitate nature to carry on with its work.

At the dentist

Medical History

Asthma, allergies to foods and medications, medications taken, sleep pat-

tern, snoring, bedwetting, headaches.

Examination(outside and inside mouth)

Check facial features retruded lower jaw (weak chin), black rings under

eyes, flat or concave mid and lower face, facial asymmetries, enlarged

adenoids, crowded teeth.

RecordsPhotographs to check profile

Impressions

study models

Xrays to check dental development

3D scans to check airway

Referrals to Specialists

ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) surgeons

Allergists

Myologists

Nutritionists

Physiotherapists


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Extraoral aids

Sleep Angels and Breathe Right strips are two of several extraoral aids that

can be helpful in facilitating nasal breathing while asleep.

Sleep angels

Breathe Right Strips


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Orthodontic treatment

Myotrainer to train the oral muscles to function optimally and to facili-

tate nasal breathing

Tongue exercises recommended by Myologists can also be useful in de-

veloping a correct swallowing habit.

Full tongue training movie

Functional appliances

Functional appliances are designed to expand the jaws both anterio-poste-

riorly (forward) and laterally (side ways). Expanded jaws allow more

space for the tongue and improve the bite.
https://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=JnsVa1iX-6A&u=%252Fwatch%253Fv%253D1MYNRQIX6T8%2526feature%253Dshare


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Braces

Braces can either be done in conjunction with the functional appliances or

after, depending on the age of the patient.

Summary

Everyone knows

sugar causes dental decay, but its effects on the devel-

opment of the face, jaws and teeth are much less known. Anthropological

findings by Dr Weston Price and recent studies indicate that sugar and pro-

cessed foods may play a big part in the increasing incidence of allergies in

the modern society, which in turn cause many dental problems that dentists

are seeing today at their office.This

information is most useful for parents, it motivates them to give their

children healthy whole foods, to

recognize early signs of problems and to


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be aware of the relevant

treatments available so that the conditions can be

managed accordingly at any age. Early management can prevent more dif-

ficult or unnecessary treatments later in life such extractions and jaw

surgery.

This article may be used with permission by Dr. John Utama,

(1) Produced by the AIHW and the Dental Statistics and Research

Unit,

Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, University of

Adelaide.

(2) Diet and food allergy development during infancy: Birth cohort studyfindings using prospective food diary data

February 2014Volume 133, Issue 2, Pages

511519

Kate E.C. Grimshaw, PhD, RD Joe Maskell, MSc Erin M. Oliver, MSc

Ruth C.G. Morris, Dip HE, RN(Child) Keith D. Foote, MBBS, FRCPCH

E.N. Clare Mills, PhD Barrie M. Margetts, PhD, FFPH Graham Roberts,

DM, MRCPCH

(3) Am J Clin Nutr

1973

26:

11

1180-1184 http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/

26/11/1180.full.pdf+htmlRole of sugars in human neutrophilic phagocytosis Albert Sanchez,

J. L.

Reeser,

H. S. Lau,

P. Y. Yahiku,

R. E. Willard,

P. J. McMillan,

SY. Cho,

A.

R. Magie, and

U. D. Register

(4) Cord blood monocytederived inflammatory cytokines suppress IL-2

and induce nonclassic TH2-type immunity associated with development

of food allergy Yuxia Zhang1,2,3,*,

Fiona Collier4,5,

Gaetano

Naselli1,

Richard Saffery2,6,

Mimi LK. Tang2,6,

KatrinJ. Allen2,6,

Anne-

Louise Ponsonby2,6,

Leonard C. Harrison1,2,*,,

Peter

Vuillermin2,4,5,6,*,,

on behalf of the BIS Investigator Group
http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#fn-2http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#fn-1http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#corresp-1http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-6http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-5http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-4http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-2http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#fn-1http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#corresp-1http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-2http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-1http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-6http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-2http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-6http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-2http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-6http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-2http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-6http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-2http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-1http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-5http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-4http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#corresp-1http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-3http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-2http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/8/321/321ra8#aff-1http://ajcn.nutrition.org/search?author1=U.+D.+Register&sortspec=date&submit=Submithttp://ajcn.nutrition.org/search?author1=A.+R.+Magie&sortspec=date&submit=Submithttp://ajcn.nutrition.org/search?author1=S.+Y.+Cho&sortspec=date&submit=Submithttp://ajcn.nutrition.org/search?author1=P.+J.+McMillan&sortspec=date&submit=Submithttp://ajcn.nutrition.org/search?author1=R.+E.+Willard&sortspec=date&submit=Submithttp://ajcn.nutrition.org/search?author1=P.+Y.+Yahiku&sortspec=date&submit=Submithttp://ajcn.nutrition.org/search?author1=H.+S.+Lau&sortspec=date&submit=Submithttp://ajcn.nutrition.org/search?author1=J.+L.+Reeser&sortspec=date&submit=Submithttp://ajcn.nutrition.org/search?author1=Albert+Sanchez&sortspec=date&submit=Submithttp://www.jacionline.org/issue/S0091-6749(13)X0016-8http://www.adelaide.edu.au/arcpoh/


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John Utama BDS MBA

Robina Town Dental

Dentists @Capri

Gold Coast Australia

www.thewholedentist.com

[email protected]

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There is More to Sugar Than Dental Decay