Tooth Loss Linked to Late-Night Snacking

Studies have shown that late-night-snackers are more prone to tooth loss.  Late night snacking can be an issue for several reasons.  If you are waking up in the middle of the night for a snack, you may be a lot less likely to think about the type of food you are consuming than to grab the first thing that sounds enticing.  This can contribute to overall health issues including weight gain which is linked to periodontitis.  Also, late night snackers are more prone to go back to bed without brushing their teeth leaving a sugary bath of food debris to eat away at tooth enamel all night.  Another contributing factor is that late night snackers have less saliva to help wash away food particles since saliva tends to dry up at night.