Why your dental health can be damaged by video gaming.
Parents have been complaining for years that their children are stuck in front of a monitor all day playing video games instead of being outside playing sports. Your overall health can be improved by partaking in physical activity; this is a well-known fact.
If you spend your time sitting in front of a gaming console or PC monitor, your physical condition will not improve. A recent study shows that it is even worse. According to this study, snacking whilst video gaming can result in weight problems and a deterioration in oral health.
It is believed that people addicted to gaming, those who spend a considerable amount of time in front of a gaming console, have a 200 percent greater chance of developing tooth decay and caries than their sport-playing counterparts. This is a topic of grave concern to dental insurance providers who often actively encourage the general public to participate more fully in both physical and dental health activities
The research suggests that teenagers who spend most of their time gaming are more likely to consume foods and snacks with higher levels of sugar. This is as likely to lead to tooth decay as it is to obesity and diabetes.
The popularity of online games and in-home gaming systems is not confined to youngsters; adults love them too. Oral care and personal hygiene are often ignored by people too involved with playing games. The previously unknown link between the dietary habits of gamers and their subsequent risk of tooth decay has, according to Dr Nigel Carter, Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, been revealed by this study. He went on to highlight how important a stable diet was to maintain good oral health.
Gamers are under acid attack
Habitual gamers spend hours in front of the gaming consoles surrounded by bottles of fizzy drinks and bags of snacks on which they are continually snacking. All the time the gamers are attacking video opponents, they are also under attack from the foods they are eating.
There is a higher level of sugars and preservatives in snack foods. The teeth continue to be attacked by the acid derived from the sugar in the snack for nearly an hour after consumption. The bacterial attack on the teeth and gums will increase as a result of the reaction between plaque and sugars.
Just as harmful are acidic foods. Sugary foods can be less damaging to teeth and gums than a packet of salt and vinegar crisps. The acids in the snacks attack the enamel surface of the teeth making them soft and vulnerable to attack.
The importance of parental rules.
The study focused on teenagers between the ages of 12 and 16. It suggested that those youngsters who snacked whilst playing games or watching TV were more likely to suffer tooth decay and gum disease than those who avoided snacking.
The likelihood of developing significant tooth and gum problems was 30% less for TV watching children whose snacking was under parental control than it was for those who snacked without such supervision.
Contact between acid and sugar and teeth and gums is prolonged by snacking throughout the day rather than by taking regular meals.
You can help your children to have healthy teeth and gums by regulating what and when they eat.
Eating properly, keeping your teeth clean, and having regular dental checkups is the way to keep your teeth healthy. A dental checkup won’t cost you much in time or money. You can even get your dental health insurance plan to cover a check-up or oral hygiene visit and really put a smile on your face.
