Jan '10 Acid Erosion

Dental Currents January 2010

Acids can affect your teeth.

Teeth are engineered to withstand a very harsh environment. From bacteria to

temperature changes to physical stresses of chewing, they can withstand a lot of

abuse. In fact, enamel is the hardest structure in the human body. This is why dental

records are often used to identify people after accidents or fires.

Teeth do have a weak point, however, and that is acid. Because enamel is a

mineralized structure, it is susceptible to acid erosion and demineralization. To

defend against this potential threat, we have saliva to buffer or neutralize the acid

and remineralize the tooth surface. While buffering the acid happens during eating,

remineralization is accomplished between meals when the saliva is not required to

neutralize acid from food but is left to remineralize the tooth surface. Therefore,

eating between meals is a huge problem for your teeth, especially if you are eating

something with sugar in it, which the bacteria convert to acid.

After eating sugar between meals, three of the most acid damaging habits related to

food are soda pop swishing, fruit mulling and bulimia. Let’s take each one

individually.

Soda pop swishers tend to not like carbonation tickling their throat so they swish

the pop over their teeth before swallowing. The tongue usually protects the lower

teeth but the upper back teeth (molars) get the brunt of the acid. Pop can have citric,

carbonic and phosphoric acid in it, which erodes the upper molars mostly.

Solution—open the pop the day before and leave it in the fridge for the carbonation

to disappear, then drink it without swishing.

Fruit mulling is the habit of rolling citrus type fruit over the back teeth. This erodes

both upper and lower back teeth (molars) equally, unlike pop swishing. Vegetarians

may be more prone to this tooth damaging habit. Solution – become aware of how

the fruit mulling habit is eroding your molars and quit it!

Solution- Just eat the fruit without rolling it around.

Bulimia is the habit of eating and then causing yourself to vomit. It is often called

‘binge and purge’ and can be interpreted as a coping mechanism to lose weight

without avoiding eating. Far more females do it than males and they will often start

in their early teen years. This habit is very hard on your system because the

individual ends up being under-nourished. Dentally speaking, it is very hard on the

inside surface of the front teeth. Vomit includes not only your food but all the

stomach acid as well, so it can erode the enamel off the inside of your upper front

teeth. Most people will not readily admit to this habit, which makes it more difficult

to seek help. Shall we just say that your dentist or dental hygienist easily recognize

this pattern and if you would like a referral for help, please ask. If you would like

more information on your own, go to www.edreferral.com

Solution - Recognize the potential harm of the habit and seek help.

Tooth erosion from acid is a serious dental concern. Let us know if we can be of help

to you. All requests will be kept strictly confidential.