In simple terms, acid erosion is a result of your teeth being exposed to too much acid. Tooth erosion happens when the acids in your diet or in your mouth, wear away the layer of enamel of your teeth. In order to understand acid erosion, you have to know about the characteristics of enamel.
What is tooth enamel?
It is a fine outer layer of your tooth protecting it from harm. Enamel is the hardest tissue present in the human body. The part of the tooth that is outside the gums needs to be protected in order to survive all types of food and avoid decay.
Enamel can be stained easily due to drinking, smoking, and consuming too much coffee or tea; however, staining has easy solutions. Enamel erosion is something that ought to be avoided. When your teeth no longer have an insulating surface to protect them from outer harm, they are bare and exposed to potentially harmful temperatures and chemicals.
Acid erosion is responsible for wearing down enamel over time; this leaves your teeth exposed to harmful substances and decay becomes evident.
5 Main Causes of Acid Erosion
1. GERD
A Gastroesophageal acid reflux disease causes the stomach acids to rise up all the way to your throat and sometimes into the mouth as well. As soon as these acids enter the mouth and make contact with the teeth, they create problems. This reflux reaction can be eluded by avoiding spicy foods, tomatoes, chocolates, coffee, and alcohol as all these things have the tendency to upset your stomach.
2. Expecting a baby
How is pregnancy relevant to tooth decay? Quite simply, the answer to this is morning sickness. Pregnant women regularly face the problem of nausea and vomiting is a frequent affair that leaves a lot of harmful acids lingering in the mouth. Similar to an acid reflux these acids can also cause erosion.
3. Dry mouth
Saliva is required to keep your mouth moist. It provides regular cleaning just by existing and aids in the digestion of food. Some people face the condition of dry mouths due to certain medications; this results in unhealthy acids accumulating in the mouth and increases risks of tooth decay.
4. Chlorine water
Swimming pools are another reason for the acid erosion of teeth. Going for a swim is the best most refreshing way to spend time in the summer but it is also contributing to your tooth enamel decay. This is because water is bound to enter your mouth and high levels of chlorine are present in the pools which affect your teeth.
5. Your diet
If you are consuming the uncontrolled amount of items containing high levels of citrus- such as lemons and oranges- you can be sure that they will contribute to the erosion of your teeth. Moreover, carbonated drinks also erode enamel because they are loaded with sugar and acids.
However strong your tooth enamel may be, it needs to be taken care off in order to avoid acid erosion. This process starts with you when you concentrate on your oral hygiene and practice preventive measures. Contact Dr. Alamo, at NEO Dentistry, for help in this area.
