What’s dental erosion?

Erosion is the lack of tooth enamel attributable to acid assault. Enamel is the exhausting, protecting coating of the tooth, which protects the delicate dentine beneath. When the enamel is worn away, the dentine beneath is uncovered, which can result in ache and sensitivity.

How do I do know I’ve dental erosion?

Erosion often exhibits up as hollows within the tooth and a basic carrying away of the tooth floor and biting edges. This will expose the dentine beneath, which is a darker, yellower color than the enamel. As a result of the dentine is delicate, your tooth can be extra delicate to warmth and chilly, or acidic meals and drinks.

What causes dental erosion?

Each time you eat or drink something acidic, the enamel in your tooth turns into softer for a short time, and loses a few of its mineral content material. Your saliva will slowly cancel out this acidity in your mouth and get it again to its pure steadiness. Nevertheless, if this acid assault occurs too usually, your mouth doesn’t have an opportunity to restore itself and tiny bits of enamel may be brushed away. Over time, you begin to lose the floor of your tooth.

Are there any medical issues which may trigger dental erosion?

Bulimia is a situation the place sufferers make themselves sick in order that they shed extra pounds. As a result of there are excessive ranges of acid within the vomit, this may trigger harm to tooth enamel.

Acids produced by the abdomen can come up into the mouth (that is referred to as gastro-oesophageal reflux). Individuals affected by hiatus hernia or oesophageal issues, or who drink an excessive amount of alcohol, may additionally discover they undergo from dental erosion as a result of vomiting.

Can my food plan assist forestall dental erosion?

Acidic meals and drinks could cause erosion. Acidity is measured by its ‘pH worth’, and something that has a pH worth decrease than 5.5 is extra acidic and may hurt your tooth.

Fizzy drinks, sodas, pops and carbonated drinks could cause erosion. It is very important do not forget that even the ‘food plan’ manufacturers are nonetheless dangerous. Even flavoured fizzy waters can have an impact if drunk in massive quantities, as they include weak acids which may hurt your tooth.

Acidic meals and drinks reminiscent of fruit and fruit juices – significantly citrus ones together with lemon and orange – include pure acids which may be dangerous to your tooth, particularly if in case you have a variety of them usually.

‘Alcopops’, ‘coolers’ and ‘designer drinks’ that include acidic fruits and are fizzy could cause erosion too.

Plain, nonetheless water is the most effective drink for tooth. Milk can also be good as a result of it helps to cancel out the acids in your mouth.

Are sports activities drinks protected?

Many sports activities drinks include elements that may trigger dental erosion in addition to decay. Nevertheless, it can be crucial for athletes to keep away from dehydration as a result of this may result in a dry mouth and bad breath.

What can I do to forestall dental erosion?

There are a selection of issues you are able to do:

  • Have acidic meals and drinks, and fizzy drinks, sodas and pops, simply at mealtimes. It will cut back the variety of acid assaults in your tooth.
  • Drink rapidly, with out holding the drink in your mouth or ‘swishing’ it round your mouth. Or use a straw to assist drinks go to the again of your mouth and keep away from lengthy contact together with your tooth.
  • End a meal with cheese or milk as this may assist cancel out the acid.
  • Chew sugar-free gum after consuming. It will assist produce extra saliva to assist cancel out the acids which type in your mouth after consuming.
  • Await not less than one hour after consuming or ingesting something acidic earlier than brushing your tooth. This offers your tooth time to construct up their mineral content material once more.
  • Brush your tooth last item at evening and not less than one different time throughout the day, with fluoride toothpaste. Use a small-headed brush with medium to comfortable bristles.
  • Kids as much as three years outdated ought to use a toothpaste with a fluoride stage of not less than 1000ppm (elements per million). Three-year-olds to adults ought to use a toothpaste that accommodates 1350ppm to 1500ppm. 
  • Spit out after brushing and don’t rinse, in order that the fluoride stays in your tooth longer.

Ought to I take advantage of every other particular merchandise?

In addition to utilizing a fluoride toothpaste, your dental crew could counsel you utilize a fluoride-containing mouthwash and have a fluoride varnish utilized not less than each six months. They might additionally prescribe a toothpaste with extra fluoride in it.

How can it’s handled?

Dental erosion doesn’t at all times should be handled. With common check-ups and recommendation your dental crew can forestall the issue getting any worse and the erosion going any additional. If a tooth does want therapy, you will need to defend the enamel and the dentine beneath to forestall sensitivity.

Normally, merely bonding a filling onto the tooth can be sufficient to restore it. Nevertheless, in additional extreme circumstances the dentist might have to suit a veneer.

How a lot will therapy value?

Prices will range, relying on the kind of therapy you want.

It is very important speak about all of the therapy choices together with your dental crew and get a written estimate of the fee earlier than beginning therapy.


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Want extra recommendation?

When you want free and neutral recommendation about your oral well being, contact our Dental Helpline by e mail or name 01788 539780 (native charge name within the UK).

Our Dental Helpline is totally confidential and has helped virtually 400,000 folks since opening over 20 years in the past. Contact our specialists by phone, e mail or on-line enquiry, Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00.


References

An investigation into the results of sport complement drinks on dental well being. R Kidner, Dental Well being Vol 42 No 2 of 6 March.

Dental erosion – altering prevalence? A evaluate of British nationwide youngsters’s surveys. J Nunn and others, Worldwide Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, Quantity 13, Subject 2, Web page 98, March 2003.

Dental Erosion and Acid Reflux Illness. Schroeder and others, Annals of Inner Medication, 1 June 1995; 122: pages 809-815.