Did you know that dental health is inextricably linked to gut health? Well! It makes sense because stomach is the next destination for food following the mouth and esophagus. So, if you ask, what role do teeth play in the digestive process? Read the guide below to know.
Can Dental Problems Cause Digestive Problems?
When you eat or drink, digestion begins. Some foods may trigger salivary glands only by sight. Saliva glands break down food in the mouth. The glands produce enzymes that help break carbohydrates and fat and lubricate food for the stomach. Your teeth also play a role in digestion; on the other hand, unhealthy teeth can lead to poor digestion. How? It is reasonable to assume that tearing, grinding, and cutting food is difficult without teeth. It makes the process of digestion difficult.
Can Infected Teeth Cause Digestive Problems?
According to experts, when we swallow food that has not been chewed well, some nutrients and energy stay locked in, making it more difficult to enter our systems. The following are some signs of digestive disorders that your dentist checks for during regular visits:
- Gum bleeding
- Candida or thrush in the mouth
- Gums with red patches
- Defects in the enamel
It’s reasonable to assume that you may also have dental issues with stomach issues and vice-versa. Tooth wear and erosion because of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) exemplifies this. GERD makes stomach acid leak into the esophagus and reach up to the mouth, where it wears the tooth enamel away, causing serious damage.
What Is the Relationship Between Teeth and Digestion?
The digestive system begins in the mouth. When you put food in your mouth, your teeth break it up, and the salivary glands beneath your tongue, on the sides, and the roof of your mouth produce saliva. This saliva coats your meal, making it simpler to swallow.
Can Missing Teeth Cause Digestive Problems?
To compensate for partly chewed meals, missing teeth might cause your stomach to overproduce acid. This may cause digestive problems, including acid reflux and erosion of your stomach's protective lining.
- Because saliva produces by chewing, missing teeth might affect saliva production. As previously stated, saliva contains crucial digestive enzymes that aid in the digesting process and a lack of saliva may cause indigestion and inhibit optimal nutritional absorption.
- Missing teeth may make it challenging to swallow meals. Food cannot break down into tiny bits that are simpler to eat due to a lack of teeth. Because large food items take longer to break down, this increases the danger of choking and causes indigestion.
- Chewing food relaxes the bottom part of the stomach. The pylorus is the region that permits food to flow from the stomach to the intestines. When saliva creates as a result of chewing, the pylorus relaxes, allowing food to flow more readily. Missing teeth impede this process since food does not chew and saliva does not generate.
- Missing teeth encourage bacteria development because more extensive portions of food are more difficult for saliva enzymes to break down. It impairs the capacity of meals to be broken down via the digestive system, resulting in inadequate absorption of essential nutrients. Furthermore, undigested food serves as a food source for dangerous microorganisms.