How Excess Sugar Fuels Inflammation and Worsens Gum Disease

Summary: A new study suggests that high sugar intake significantly increases the risk of gum diseases. This happens due to dysbiosis, immune dysregulation, and chronic inflammation caused by high sugar intake. Thus, gum diseases are just the tip of the iceberg, and high sugar intake is associated with a greater risk of many other diseases.

 For humans, food is not just a calorie source but also something that is enjoyed, especially sweets. However, refined sugars are not completely natural, as they are produced in factories and are concentrated, fast-absorbing simple carbs. Regular table sugar is a disaccharide or carb made of glucose and fructose molecules. Thus, it is readily absorbed, causes a quick surge in blood glucose levels, and disrupts metabolism in many ways.

Some sugar intake is acceptable, but the issue is with excessive sugar consumption. Many ultra-processed foods contain sugars. Many individuals are consuming high amounts of sugar without ever realizing it.

Excessive sugar harms health in many ways, and gum diseases are also pretty common in those who consume sugar excessively. In fact, almost half of the adults globally are living with gum diseases. Thus, gum disease is one of the early indications of poor metabolic health, inflammation, and wrong dietary choices.

Sugar Causes Low-Grade Inflammation

It is vital to understand that sugars not only cause blood glucose spikes but also disrupt gut barrier function, modulate gut microbiota, cause immune dysregulation, and thus lead to low-grade inflammation.

Thus, fructose is unlikely to increase blood glucose levels, but it can significantly disrupt gut ecology, causing dysbiosis or a reduced population of beneficial gut bacteria. It also disrupts gut barrier function, significantly contributing to low inflammation. This low-level inflammation is responsible for a range of systemic diseases, from heart disease to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

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So, both glucose and fructose contribute to systemic inflammation,  but in different ways. Thus, glucose increases insulin resistance,  and fructose causes low-grade inflammation. Hence, high sugar consumption increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and many other inflammatory conditions.

Sugar and Dysbiosis

Processed foods like sugars are one of the significant causes of adverse changes in the gut microflora. High sugar consumption changes the gut microbiota population, as it promotes the growth of certain bacteria and suppresses the growth of others. This results in low short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, changes in immune responses, and low-grade chronic inflammation.

Excessive sugar intake also negatively affects the oral microbiome. There are about an estimated 700 species of bacteria residing in the oral cavity. Studies show that excessive sugar consumption, even for a short term, may increase the population of Actinomyces and Streptococcus. These kinds of changes promote gun disease and more.

High sugar consumption is long known to be associated with poor oral health. Further, many studies confirm that poor oral health is associated with greater inflammation and risk of chronic ailments.

However, now science understands how these things are related. It is not just about excessive calorie intake or insulin resistance. It is also about significant changes in oral and gut microbiota. All this causes chronic inflammation, which may increase the risk of many diseases, including NAFLD, heart disease, diabetes, and much more.

Finally, apart from the above factors, one should not forget that sugar is also addictive. Studies show that high sugar intake causes brain responses seen with addictive substances like cocaine. Though sugar is not a mind-altering substance, it can be addictive as it modulates the brain’s pleasure-seeking pathways. Once people are addicted to sugar, they may even develop a craving for it, causing them to consume more sugar.

To sum up, sugar is a modifiable risk factor for gum disease. Many ill effects of sugar are not just due to insulin resistance but also due to its other negative impacts on health. Sugar is bad for mental health, alters gut microbiota and immune responses, causes inflammation, and increases the risk of numerous health conditions. Thus, gum diseases, often occurring due to high sugar intake, are just like a wake-up call suggesting the need to reduce daily sugar intake.

Source:

Shanmugasundaram, S., & Karmakar, S. (2024). Excess dietary sugar and its impact on periodontal inflammation: A narrative review. BDJ Open, 10(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41405-024-00265-w