Celiac disease is a condition that affects the digestive system. Since our teeth are part of it, this disease also affects their health. The reality is that teeth condition can manifest signs of the celiac disease before you notice other signs and get a diagnose. Moreover, the gluten-free diet is not always able to reduce disease-related issues right away. In this article, we will tell you about the link between celiac disease and dental health.
Celiac disease in children
Anyone from a child to an adult can be affected by celiac disease. But when this disease occurs in a child before age seven, it can affect permanent teeth that are only developing. In this case, it would be lack enamel on teeth and that’s why they can look spotty. Such teeth are also more sensitive and more prone to cavities development.
Children with celiac disease may also have ribbed teeth or it could be a noticeable horizontal groove on them. This groove is considered the most obvious form of enamel hypoplasia. Permanent teeth begin to develop much earlier, so this horizontal groove occurs when the child starts to develop celiac disease.
Causes of enamel deficiencies
The reason for enamel defects in children with celiac disease is still unknown. It may develop when the nutrient deficiency is resulting from the destruction of the mucous membrane of the small intestine by celiac disease or the immune system of a child can directly affect developing permanent teeth.
There is additional evidence indicating direct damage to the immune system. The defects of
tooth enamel are also found in parents or siblings of people with celiac disease. This means that some problems with your immune system lead to these enamel defects, not a nutrient deficiency caused by gluten damage to the small intestine.
A timely diagnosis of celiac disease in children is very important. If the child is diagnosed in time and starts to follow a gluten-free diet, the damage can be less serious. But if your adult teeth have been severely damaged by celiac disease, there are certain treatment options that can help you. Teeth bonding and sealants can protect your teeth from further damage. If the enamel deficiency is very severe, you may need to install dental implants NYC or crowns.
Why celiac disease increases the risk of cavities?
People that have been recently diagnosed with celiac disease usually complain that the condition of their teeth becomes worse. Tooth decay is very common for people with this condition and if the person had no problems with teeth earlier, they most likely to develop a few decays as soon as they get the disease.
If you suffer from celiac disease for many years, you may have enamel deficiency that can make you more likely to get tooth decay. Some studies show that these enamel defects can appear long before you have any other signs of celiac disease.
Moreover, the lack of vitamin D, which is usually observed in people with celiac disease, can increase the risk of tooth decay development. But celiac disease is also accompanied by different nutritional deficiencies (for example, calcium deficiency) that may also affect the condition of your teeth. The reality is that people who suffer from celiac disease are more likely to have a great number of nutritional deficiencies, as their small intestines are not able to work properly and to receive nutrients from the food. But you need to know that following a gluten-free diet can help prevent dental issues as well.
