The “loneliness epidemic” is just one negative effect of too much screen time. There are plenty of others. Just last month, a new study in BMC Oral Health highlighted one that just might surprise you: a greater likelihood of tooth decay.
Noting that dental caries – the clinical name for tooth decay – is an infectious disease that’s largely driven by lifestyle, the research team set out to see whether problematic internet use (PIU) might be playing some role in oral health. Another name for PIU? Internet addiction – extreme, compulsive behavior that can lead to things like “gaming for days without rest, adequate hydration and nutrition, or social contact outside of gaming.”
To explore the possible relationship between PIU and oral health – a link suggested by a handful of earlier studies – the research team surveyed 13,413 students in 110 elementary schools in Japan, all from grades 4 through 6. The questionnaire asked about the kids’ biological characteristics (e.g., height, weight, sex), lifestyle habits, and experience with tooth decay. “Lifestyle” included things like eating breakfast each day, physical activity, and sleep habits.
Ultimately, data from just over 12,000 of the children was analyzed, about a quarter of whom had multiple cavities (slightly more girls than boys). That analysis identified a number of factors that were linked to that state of poor oral health:
- Being a girl.
- Being in a higher grade.
- Not eating breakfast.
- Going to bed late.
- Not brushing teeth regularly.
- Lack of family rules.
- Problematic internet use (PIU).
For boys specifically, they found that the more problematic their internet use was, the more likely they were to have multiple cavities. The research team offered a few explanations of how PIU might be affecting caries risk:
First, PIU can lead to frequent consumption of sugar. Iwasaki et al. demonstrated that high school students with Internet addiction were more likely to consume soft drinks and sweet snacks frequently and have irregular meal time. In addition, it is probable that children with PIU do not have sufficient time to brush their teeth seriously. In addition to behavioral factors, biological factors are also considered plausible reasons. Kaess et al. reported that patients with Internet gaming disorder had greater daily and chronic stress, as well as psychopathological comorbidity. Under chronic stress, a prolonged reduction of salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels, which is thought to serve as a first line of defense against invading organisms (e.g., pathogens), was reported. Thus, we can suggest that PIU cause[s] dental caries through behavioral as well as biological pathways.
While parents typically worry about screen time’s effects on their kids’ mental health and social life, it turns out that those effects can show up in unexpected places – like their teeth. The good news? The same family routines that help keep internet use in check – regular meals, consistent bedtimes, and so on – also support better oral health.
