What is dental erosion? And how do you prevent it?

 In recent years, more and more soft drinks and sports drinks have been consumed. This can lead to dental erosion. These drinks often contain an amount of citric or malic acid and also a large amount of sugar. The taste of these acids is dampened by sugar, but sugar does not neutralize the acid. In your mouth, there are certain bacteria that form acid from sugars and other carbohydrates (such as in pasta, potatoes and bread). This, in turn, causes cavities (dental caries). These acids also lower the pH value in your mouth, making it easier to dissolve tooth enamel.

It's not just a matter of how much acidic food and drink you consume. Tooth decay is more likely to occur the more frequently you do this and the longer you keep acidic materials in your mouth. Your eating and drinking habits have a significant impact as well. For example, do you wait before swallowing until the sting of the drink is gone? Or do you swish a drink around in your mouth for the taste? This keeps the acid in your mouth longer. Stomach acid can also cause dental erosion. Through vomiting and regurgitation, stomach acid enters the mouth. The more often this happens, the stronger the erosion occurs. Stomach disorders can cause belching and vomiting. But people who vomit a lot because of their extreme urge to lose weight (anorexia nervosa) or people with extreme binge eating followed by deliberate vomiting (bulimia nervosa) can also suffer from dental erosion.

Acids in foods

All foodstuffs that are acidified with, for example, acetic or citric acid, such as salad dressing or mayonnaise, cause dental erosion with frequent use. Many children suck on vitamin tablets instead of swallowing them directly. That can be disastrous for the teeth. Vitamin products are slightly acidic in themselves and flavored by adding a sweetener and citric acid.

Dental erosion is a major problem for many people in the USA. Often the blame for the occurrence of this problem is placed on snacking. However, less attention is paid to the role that drinking plays in this. That is unjustified because soft drinks play a major role in the development of dental erosion. With dental erosion, tooth enamel is dissolved by acids that are not naturally present in the mouth and left untreated, this can lead to the complete disappearance of the enamel. There are many things that can cause dental erosion. You can think of stomach acid that hits the teeth when vomiting and eating foods that contain a lot of acids. But the biggest culprit is often soda. Sports drinks, fruit juices and wine also play a major role.

Acids in soft drinks and sports drinks

Soft drinks (including the light varieties!) get their fresh taste from the added phosphoric acid (as in cola), citric or malic acid (as in all kinds of soft drinks and sports drinks). Due to the added sugar or sweetener, the sour taste is often not noticed. The sugar or sweetener suppresses the sour taste but does not neutralize the acid. Fruit juices, including apple juice and orange juice, are even more acidic and, therefore, more harmful to the teeth and thus notorious causes of dental erosion. Remember that almost all drinks are acidic. Water, unsweetened tea and milk are exceptions.

How can you prevent dental erosion?

Dental erosion is a major problem because it affects not only the enamel but also the dentine in the long term. This can lead to major problems with your oral health. It is, therefore, important to prevent dental erosion. There are several ways you can do this:

·         Limit the use of acidic drinks and acidic foods. Alternatively, if possible, have water, milk, or unsweetened tea or coffee.

·         Keep acidic products in your mouth for as short a time as possible. So don't swish the drink around in your mouth. Also, don't suck on sour candy or other acidic products.

·         Limit the number of times you eat or drink. Eat three meals a day and no more than four meals in between. Eat acidic fruit no more than once or twice a day. If you drink with your food, that counts as a moment.

·         Brush your teeth twice a day. Use a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Clean the space between the teeth once a day with dental floss, interdental brushes or toothpicks.

Tips for brushing teeth

-          Do not eat or drink acidic products one hour before brushing your teeth. Acid's effect causes the surfaces of the (front) teeth and molars to become softer. You can simply remove the enamel layer by brushing your teeth right away after consuming acid.

Do you suffer from dental erosion?

Fortunately, we can help you prevent more damage to your teeth due to dental erosion. In many cases, the dentist or dental hygienist can detect it at an early stage and treat it preventively. The specialist can also give you appropriate advice to prevent further dental erosion by tooth decay cleaning. At an advanced stage of dental erosion, you can also contact Virginia dental clinic to restore your teeth to a beautiful condition. Think of an extensive dental erosion treatment or rebuilding the teeth with composite (facings). As a result, your teeth will be rebuilt to almost the old shape. Because your teeth regain their old shape, you will be able to eat and chew properly again. In addition, veneers provide better protection against dental erosion.