If you’ve seen the 1993 romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, then you know the tale centers on a young reporter smitten by the story of an architect grieving for his deceased wife. The reporter, played by Ryan, writes an e-mail to the architect (Hanks) but doesn’t intend to mail it. The story takes an unexpected turn for the better when the reporter’s editor sends the e-mail and then dispatches the reporter to Seattle, where the architect resides with his son, to cover a story on radio talk shows.
If you haven’t seen the movie, you can guess what happens from there.
Just as in the movies, real life troubles can often lead to dramatic changes in our lives. That’s true whether we’re talking about the untimely passing of a loved one in Seattle or the ordinary discomfort of tooth decay in Wayzata, Minnesota.
How Tooth Decay Could Affect Your Love Life
While parts of Sleepless in Seattle made for great comedy relief, tooth decay is nothing to laugh at. Or sneeze at, for that matter.
Tooth decay occurs when bacteria in the mouth creates acids that eat away at a tooth and its multiple layers. This bacteria can often lead to cavities. Untreated, tooth decay can lead to unbearable pain, tooth or gum infection, or even tooth loss.
Every tooth is made up of three layers:
- Enamel – the outer layer
- Dentin – the middle layer
- Pulp – the inner layer
Each layer is vital to the health of your tooth. The deeper the decay affecting a single tooth the more damage will be done to each layer, and if you have damage to the pulp, your tooth decay is pretty severe.
What Causes Tooth Decay?
In a word, the single worst cause of tooth decay is not brushing and flossing your teeth. You should brush and floss at least twice a day and regularly visit your Wayzata-area dentist. Other causes include:
- Foods high in sugar and carbohydrates
- Lack of fluoride
- Not enough saliva in the mouth
- Diabetes
- Smoking, secondhand smoke, or smokeless tobacco products
Most tooth decay is caused by a combination of these factors. Therefore, to prevent tooth decay from wrecking your love life and ending your romantic dreams, follow the advice of your dentist and eat a diet of reduced sugar and carbohydrates, brush daily (at least twice) with toothpaste containing fluoride, floss every day, drink plenty of water throughout the day to prevent dry mouth, and don’t use tobacco products!
