As a dentist with a focus on nutrition, telling people to reduce their sugar intake is part of my job!
But the issue with sugar is that it wreaks far more havoc on the body than we sometimes appreciate.
Tooth decay is a surefire way to know you’ve consumed too much sugar, but there are a myriad of other telltale symptoms that can show up in the mouth to tell you that enough is enough.
Let’s look at some lesser-known oral signs of diseases that may be linked to too much sugar…
Candida or yeast infections.
Yeast infections are known to be caused by too much sugar and the problem lies with the microbiome. Normal (and healthy) yeast populations inhabit our mouth and gut, but when we consume too much sugar, Candida albicans fungus – best known for candida infections – can overgrow.
It’s similar to the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Strep mutans (another strain of bacteria) also lives in our mouths, but when we feed it too much sugar, it can outnumber probiotic bacteria in the mouth and lead to dental cavities!
Oral candida can be a sign of yeast infection throughout the body. Signs that you may have oral candidiasis signs include:
- Angular cheilitis – red or crusty lesions on the corner of the mouth.
- Red and sore lesions on the tongue and cheeks.
- A white film or build-up on the tongue or cheeks.
- Burning mouth syndrome.
Autoimmune issues.
Too much sugar can also result in gut dysbiosis and autoimmunity – with many autoimmune conditions like Sjogren’s syndrome, Pemphigoid, and coeliac disease exhibiting symptoms in the mouth.
Over the last ten years, our knowledge of autoimmune conditions has increased significantly and we now understand them to be related to digestive imbalance. Long-term digestive microbiome disease causes the loss of gut-barrier function, and the result is an immune system that attacks its own cells.
Sugar is one of the main drivers of gut dysfunction when consuming the modern diet and signs of an autoimmune disease in the mouth include:
- Dry mouth.
- White lesions on the tongues or cheeks.
- Aphthous ulcers.
Thyroid conditions.
If you have – or suspect you have – a thyroid condition, the first signs may show up in the mouth. Undiagnosed hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s disease is prevalent and can often take many years to pinpoint.
Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in managing your dental health. In kids, for example, if teeth are late to erupt or fall out, it may be due to an underactive thyroid gland.
So alongside feelings of tiredness, oral symptoms of an underactive thyroid can include:
- Increased risk of tooth decay.
- Gum disease or slow healing.
- Salivary gland swelling.
- Swollen tongue.
- Thick Lips.
- Dry Mouth.
Hormone imbalances.
There is a direct relationship between our sex hormones and the oral microbiome. During menstruation and menopause, women have a higher risk gingivitis. Diseases in the mouth such as tooth decay and gum disease are also known to be more common in pregnancy when sex hormones are going through major fluctuations.
Hormonal imbalances – such as PCOS – often present alongside oral manifestations of sex hormone dysfunction. If you suffer from hormone imbalance, alongside bleeding gums or gum disease, get a full check today!
While everyone is aware that sugar wreaks havoc on their smile, it can cause more than just a hole in your tooth! The mouth-body connection is a great way to show how to heal our body via our dental health.
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