Monday, 2 December 2013

EROSION EXPLOSION!

When you attend for your dental health check, one of the things your dentist will check for is tooth damage caused by acid erosion. In the last few years, we have noticed a big increase in the number patients showing signs of acid wear. Please read below for advice on how to reduce your risk.


Advice to Reduce Dental Erosion

 

 Acid wear of teeth and tooth hyper sensitivity is not a rare occurrence in today’s society.

  • 29% of 18-35 year olds in Europe have significant tooth wear.
  • 2 in 5 young adults have tooth sensitivity. 

 Erosion of teeth is associated with fresh fruit, fruit drinks, smoothies, isotonic drinks, carbonated drinks, alcohol consumption, fruit yoghurts and tea. Also stomach problems, leading to heartburn, can cause tooth erosion.

 
Anything that reduces salivary flow can also lead to an increased risk of acid erosion. This can be a problem for smokers and patients on certain medications.

 

In Order to Reduce Your Risk of Erosion

 
1.Decrease the amount of acidic foods and drinks in your diet.

 
2.We do not want to stop you eating healthy fruit therefore we advise a reduction in frequency of meals and snacks. Try to have fruit based foods and drinks all together rather than snacking throughout the day.

 
3.Drink acidic/erosive drinks through a straw.

 
4.Stop smoking.

 
5.Use fluoride mouth rinses between brushing.

 
Treatments for erosion/hyper sensitivity are available from ourselves. These can include:

 
  • Sealing teeth
  • Fluoride treatments
  • Filling in eroded cavities
  • Desensitisers

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