Why White Bread Is Very Bad News for Teeth

Dentist Blog

Do you enjoy eating sandwiches with white bread each day? Then you should probably think about switching to whole grain instead of white bread. Although white bread is by far the most popular bread in Australia, it is also the most damaging when it comes to your dental health.

If you consume white bread regularly, you could increase your risk of cavities and gum disease.

White Bread Is Easier for Oral Bacteria to Digest

White bread contains refined carbohydrates. Refined carbohydrates are bad for your teeth because they are easy to break down. The oral bacteria that reside on your teeth can break down the simple structure of refined carbs very quickly. And once those carbs break down, they turn into simple sugars, which feed the colonies of bacteria living in your mouth.

The problem stems from oral bacteria's digestive process. Once oral bacteria have digested the simple sugars from refined foods like white bread and rice, they produce an acidic substance that then erodes the enamel surface of your teeth.

And it doesn't help that white bread is also extremely sticky.

White Bread Is Sticky

The refined carbs in white bread also cause the bread to become sticky when it interacts with your saliva. In it's sticky, congealed state, white bread clings to your teeth and gums. And it may remain there for hours until you finally brush your teeth before going to bed.

What happens while white bread sticks to your teeth? The bacteria in your mouth can then easily feast on it. As they feed, they reproduce, creating even more bacteria. The result is that your mouth becomes a bed of acid due to the large number of bacteria living in it. This is very bad for your teeth and it will contribute to the formation of cavities.

White bread also causes tartar. When food debris like white bread sticks to teeth, it lodges there until you remove it with a toothbrush. But if you fail to remove it because you skipped brushing, then that bread and food debris will begin to harden into tartar. This happens because your saliva, which contains minerals, steadily causes the bread to harden. Eventually, it becomes tartar.

Tartar causes gum disease. The acid content of tartar can cause your gum tissue to recede and pull away from the roots of your teeth. This is just one of the symptoms of gum disease.

If you enjoy white bread, try to switch over to whole grain bread instead. Whole grain bread contains complex carbs, which are harder to break down, and are, therefore, better for your teeth.

For further information, reach out to a local dentist.

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24 August 2020

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