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Tooth erosion is irreversible and can cause discomfort and pain. |
Tooth Erosion is the gradual wearing away or dissolving of the outer enamel layer of your teeth. It is caused by regular exposure to acid found in certain foods and drinks and also exposure to stomach acid through frequent vomiting or acid reflux. Teeth eventually appear shorter and have visibly worn surfaces. Worst of all it can lead to severe sensitivity and difficulty eating.
Tooth erosion caused by acid attack is different to dental decay which is caused by the sugar in our diets, although the two can often happen together. Some of the foods and drinks that cause tooth erosion because of their acid content can also be the cause of tooth decay because of their sugar content, for example carbonnated soft drinks.
The early signs of tooth erosion often aren’t accompanied by any pain or other symptoms, so regular checkups with your dentist will give you an early warning of any problems.
Why is saliva so important?
Saliva is the mouth’s natural defence against acid attack. It neutralises acid and washes away food particles and acid from the mouth. If you suffer from a dry mouth then acid can stay in your mouth for longer and teeth will be eroded faster.
Common causes of tooth erosion
These vary depending on your age, diet and lifestyle. You can read in more detail about age-specific causes in the other pages of this site, but this is a list of the most common causes:
Diet
- Soft drinks – diet and regular
- Sports drinks
- Fruit juice, cordial
- Citrus fruits
- Vinegar and pickles
- Carbonated drinks
- Caffeinated drinks
- Some alcohols
Drugs and medications
- Chewable vitamin tablets
- Antacids
- Anti-allergy medications
- Frequent use of aspirin
- Liquid iron supplements
- Certain asthma and cough medications
- Certain antidepressants
- Illegal or prescription drugs that are acidic in themselves or cause dry mouth as a side-effect
Dry Mouth
This can be caused by some prescription or illegal drugs or by dehydration (for example in sports people).
Stomach Acid
Any causes of frequent vomiting including morning sickness, bulimia and gastric reflux.
Preventing or Minimising Tooth Erosion
Acid is present in many of the foods and drinks that we consume every day. Even if you haven’t noticed any initial signs of tooth erosion it is good to get into the habit of either preventing or minimising the harm to our teeth. Here are a few suggestions for easy prevention and control of dental erosion. You can also find more specific information on cause and prevention in the other sections of this website.
- Avoid excessive consumption of juice, soft drinks and fruits between meals.
- Drink fruit juices and acidic soft drinks through a straw to minimise contact with teeth.
- Take vitamin tablets with water and don’t chew them.
- Eat a small piece of cheese or drink water or milk at the end of a meal to restore the mouth to a non-acidic balance.
- Chew sugar-free gum after eating to stimulate saliva.
- After exposure to acid (whether through eating or vomiting) wait 30 minutes before brushing with a soft toothbrush.
