Progressive loss of the hard substance of a tooth by chemical processes that do not involve bacterial action.
Frequently consuming foods with a low pH value, such as soft drinks, fruit juices, pickles, fresh fruit and yogurt can lead to irreversible dental erosion, according to a report in the January/February issue of General Dentistry,
the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal:
"When food or drink that is acidic is consumed the enamel will soften for a short amount of time.
Typically, saliva slowly helps to restore the natural balance of the acid found in the mouth. If foods high in acid are consumed on an excessive basis,
the mouth can't repair itself and the greater the chance for dental erosion"
"Vegetarian diets and diets in which fruit comprises more than 66 percent of the total food intake also makes patients more susceptible to erosion," says Dr. Shipley. "Erosion can also be caused by stomach acids introduced into the mouth through vomiting and acid reflux."
The frequent vomiting and nutritional deficiencies often associated with eating disorders
can severely affect oral health. According to the National Eating Disorders Association,
studies find up to 89 percent of bulimic
patients have signs of tooth erosion, due to the effects of powerful stomach acid.
Aspirin may alleviate common aches and pains, but patients who chew the pain reliever or let
it dissolve in their mouths can damage their gums and erode their teeth
Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry :
A number of literature reports conclude that excessive exposure to various acid
sources can contribute to the chemical erosion of tooth surfaces. For example, the
hydrochloric acid regurgitated from the stomach, the acid added to swimming pools to
combat microbes, the citric and chelating carboxylic acids of fruit and fruit-based
beverages, the phosphoric acid of cola beverages, and the acetic acid of vinegars used
for salads all can contribute to the chemical erosion of tooth surfaces.
Schweizer Monatsschrift fur Zahnmedizin :
Dental erosion is a disease occurring not only in adults but also in children.
Thereby, deciduous and permanent teeth are involved. The cause of these lesions
is an extended acid exposure due to extrinsic or intrinsic factors. Unlike caries,
the erosive process occurs without involving bacteria. Main reasons are extensive
consumption of erosive (soft) drinks and foodstuffs or gastrooesophageal
reflux with regurgitation of gastric acid into the oral cavity.
The New Zealand Dental Journal :
Non-carious tooth tissue loss due to abrasion, attrition, abfraction and erosion has
become a significant problem, occurring in up to 80 percent of children and in up to
43 percent of adults. Dental erosion is now recognised as an important cause of tooth
tissue loss in both children and adults. It is caused by the presence of intrinsic or
extrinsic acid of non-bacterial origin in the mouth. Intrinsic sources of acid include
vomiting, regurgitation, gastro-oesophageal reflux or rumination. Extrinsic sources of
acid are most commonly dietary acids. Medications, a patient's
lifestyle choices and environment can also increase the risk of dental erosion.
