Surprisingly, according to
a study on extracted teeth in the General Dentistry, the worst
enamel erosion is produced by noncola drinks, such as ginger
ale, Mountain Dew, Sprite, and bottled iced tea.
In this study brewed black
tea, brewed black coffee, and root beer produced minimal erosion;
colas were more erosive than these beverages but less so than
the noncola drinks. There was no difference between the sugar-free
and regular versions of these products.
Other sources of oral acidity
include gastroesophageal acid reflux (GERD) and acidic medications,
such as chewable vitamin C and aspirin tablets.
Dental erosion is the loss
of tooth or tooth surfaces due to a chemical process without
known bacterial involvement. This type of tooth damage is
mainly found on the front and back of the teeth, due to frequent
or prolonged exposure to acidic substances.
Intrinsic factors
that cause oral exposure to acidic substances can involve
certain medical or oral conditions such as gastric reflux
or bulimia or chronic vomiting.
Extrinsic factors
can involve certain occupations (like routinely swimming in
pool water that has a low ph) or dietary factors ( like sipping
carbonated beverages throughout the day, or sucking on citrus
fruits).
The following are
some of the factors that may cause erosion of the teeth:
-
Soft
drinks, especially if sipped often throughout the
day
- Eating
excess citrus fruit or fruit juice
(oranges, grapefruit) or sucking on limes or lemons
- Chewable
vitamin C, or megadoses of Vitamin C
- Frequent
swimming in chlorinated pools(pools
are kept acidic for ideal clarity and for algae control)
- Regular
sports drinks or apple vinegar consumption
- Vomiting
or gastric-esophogeal reflux disorder (GERD)
- Wine
tasting (the acid wine swirling around the mouth)
- Any
other acid eaten or used in the mouth
- Taking any
of several medications that cause dry mouth or that
may change the chemical balance of the mouth.
- Hard
toothbrushing, coarse toothpaste
Talk
with a dentist if any of the above factors apply to
you.
This just may save your smile! |
Enamel erosion. This adult
patient had a habit of sucking on citrus fruits.
|
