What is dental erosion?

Erosion is the loss of tooth enamel caused past acid attack. Enamel is the hard, protective coating of the tooth, which protects the sensitive dentine underneath. When the enamel is worn away, the dentine underneath is exposed, which may atomic number 82 to pain and sensitivity.

How do I know I have dental erosion?

Erosion usually shows up as hollows in the teeth and a full general wearing abroad of the tooth surface and biting edges. This tin expose the dentine underneath, which is a darker, yellower colour than the enamel. Because the dentine is sensitive, your teeth can also be more sensitive to rut and common cold, or acidic foods and drinks.

What causes dental erosion?

Every time you lot eat or drink anything acidic, the enamel on your teeth becomes softer for a short while, and loses some of its mineral content. Your saliva will slowly cancel out this acerbity in your mouth and get it back to its natural residuum. Nevertheless, if this acrid assail happens also frequently, your oral cavity does not take a take a chance to repair itself and tiny bits of enamel can be brushed away. Over time, you start to lose the surface of your teeth.

Are there any medical problems which can cause dental erosion?

Bulimia is a condition where patients make themselves sick so that they lose weight. Because there are high levels of acid in the vomit, this can cause impairment to tooth enamel.

Acids produced by the breadbasket can come into the oral cavity (this is chosen gastro-oesophageal reflux). People suffering from hiatus hernia or oesophageal problems, or who drink too much alcohol, may likewise observe they suffer from dental erosion due to vomiting.

Can my diet help prevent dental erosion?

Acidic foods and drinks can cause erosion. Acidity is measured by its 'pH value', and anything that has a pH value lower than five.five is more than acidic and can harm your teeth.

Fizzy drinks, sodas, pops and carbonated drinks can cause erosion. Information technology is important to recollect that even the 'diet' brands are all the same harmful. Even flavoured fizzy waters can have an upshot if drunk in big amounts, as they incorporate weak acids which tin can harm your teeth.

Acidic foods and drinks such every bit fruit and fruit juices - particularly citrus ones including lemon and orange - contain natural acids which tin can exist harmful to your teeth, particularly if yous have a lot of them oftentimes.

'Alcopops', 'coolers' and 'designer drinks' that contain acidic fruits and are fizzy tin crusade erosion also.

Plain, still h2o is the all-time drink for teeth. Milk is too good considering it helps to cancel out the acids in your mouth.

Are sports drinks safety?

Many sports drinks incorporate ingredients that tin can cause dental erosion equally well as decay. Nevertheless, information technology is important for athletes to avoid aridity because this can lead to a dry mouth and bad breath.

What can I practise to prevent dental erosion?

There are a number of things you tin can exercise:

  • Have acidic food and drinks, and fizzy drinks, sodas and pops, just at mealtimes. This will reduce the number of acrid attacks on your teeth.
  • Drink rapidly, without holding the drinkable in your oral cavity or 'swishing' it effectually your mouth. Or use a straw to help drinks go to the dorsum of your mouth and avoid long contact with your teeth.
  • Cease a repast with cheese or milk equally this volition assistance cancel out the acid.
  • Chew carbohydrate-gratis gum after eating. This will assistance produce more saliva to help cancel out the acids which grade in your mouth later on eating.
  • Wait for at least ane hr later eating or drinking anything acidic before brushing your teeth. This gives your teeth time to build upwardly their mineral content again.
  • Brush your teeth last matter at night and at least one other time during the twenty-four hour period, with fluoride toothpaste. Utilize a small-headed brush with medium to soft beard.
  • Children upwardly to three years old should use a toothpaste with a fluoride level of at least 1000ppm (parts per meg). Three-year-olds to adults should apply a toothpaste that contains 1350ppm to 1500ppm.
  • Spit out afterwards brushing and practice not rinse, and then that the fluoride stays on your teeth longer.

Should I use any other special products?

As well as using a fluoride toothpaste, your dental squad may suggest you use a fluoride-containing mouthwash and have a fluoride varnish practical at least every six months. They may also prescribe a toothpaste with more fluoride in it.

How can it be treated?

Dental erosion does not always need to be treated. With regular check-ups and communication your dental team tin can prevent the trouble getting any worse and the erosion going any further. If a tooth does need treatment, it is important to protect the enamel and the dentine underneath to foreclose sensitivity.

Usually, simply bonding a filling onto the tooth will exist plenty to repair it. However, in more astringent cases the dentist may demand to fit a veneer.

How much will handling cost?

Costs will vary, depending on the type of treatment you need.

Information technology is important to talk about all the handling options with your dental team and get a written estimate of the cost before starting treatment.

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Demand more advice?

If yous need free and impartial advice about your oral health, contact our Dental Helpline by electronic mail or call 01788 539780 (local rate call in the UK).

Our Dental Helpline is completely confidential and has helped almost 400,000 people since opening over xx years agone. Contact our experts past phone, e-mail or online enquiry, Monday to Fri, 09:00 - 17:00.


References

An investigation into the effects of sport supplement drinks on dental health. R Kidner, Dental Wellness Vol 42 No 2 of 6 March.

Dental erosion - irresolute prevalence? A review of British national children'ssurveys. J Nunn and others, International Periodical of Paediatric Dentistry, Book thirteen, Issue 2, Page 98, March 2003.

Dental Erosion and Acid Reflux Affliction. Schroeder and others, Annals of Internal Medicine, 1 June 1995; 122: pages 809-815.