You Might Not Know It But You You May Be Suffering from Tooth Erosion
Created on May 30, 2014
Tooth erosion is often referred to as the silent epidemic when it comes to oral health. While the advances in oral health care today has come a long way, resulting to better quality of life, tooth erosion remains to be a common problem among individuals of all ages. We have even noticed a similar trend here at our Massachusetts dental practice, particularly with the increasing number of patients who complain about having sensitive teeth.
Other signs that you may have tooth erosion include unexplained tooth discoloration, the appearance of sand-blasted or rounded teeth, transparency along the biting edges, and presence of cracks.
What Causes Tooth Erosion?
The best way to prevent tooth erosion from happening is to know what causes it. By and large, tooth erosion is a result of the following:
- Acidic foods and drinks such as pickles, salad dressings, sports drinks, carbonated beverages, and fruit juices. In addition, the sugar in acidic beverages may also increase one’s risk of tooth decay.
- Dry mouth syndrome. Your saliva plays a huge role in neutralizing the acidity in your mouth hence tooth erosion may result from having dry mouth.
- Certain medications. Tooth erosion may occur either due to the acidic nature of medications or its ability to cause dry mouth as an adverse effect.
- Health conditions that promote regurgitation of stomach acids such as bulimia and acid reflux.
- Brushing immediately after consumption of acidic foods and drinks.
Let us help you figure out if you have tooth erosion and help you find ways to avoid it from happening. Call us at (413) 241-3264 or fill out this contact form to schedule an appointment today. We look forward to meeting you!
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