What is dental erosion and how do you prevent it?

Dental erosion is a problem that has become increasingly common in recent years due to changes in our eating and drinking habits. What is it and how can you prevent it? We tell you everything you need to know about dental erosion.

Dental erosion, what is it exactly?

Cavities, also known as dental caries, are primarily caused by bacteria found in the mouth. These bacteria originate mainly from sugars and other types of carbohydrates. Examples include bread, pasta, or potatoes. This acid can cause cavities.

Dental erosion is a similar problem that also results from stomach acids, food, or drink. Over the last few decades, our eating and drinking habits have changed drastically. For example, soft drinks and sports drinks are being consumed increasingly often, and coffee or tea without sugar is becoming the exception rather than the rule, which can cause dental erosion to develop more quickly.

What if erosion occurs?

In short, dental erosion is the dissolution of your tooth enamel. This is the result of acid exposure. It is a process that is not easily recognized; it creeps in, so to speak. Therefore, it is important to prevent it. If you do not recognize it in time, the acids will attack your tooth enamel and eventually possibly dissolve the dentin as well.

What does it look like exactly?

What does dental erosion look like? The unfortunate thing is that you often only recognize it at a more advanced stage. Experiencing discomfort while eating or drinking is one of the most common symptoms. However, this occurs at a later stage when the tooth enamel has already disappeared. You can only truly recognize it with certainty when the appearance of the teeth changes. Your teeth will become increasingly yellow and develop dark spots.

Unpleasant consequences of tooth erosion

The enamel thins, and eventually, the exposed dentin will dissolve. Pits can also form in the cusps of the molars. At a later stage, the cusps of the molars may even disappear completely. This means that you are essentially chewing on the dentin, which can cause unpleasant pain. Erosion does not affect the fillings in the teeth. As a result, fillings may start to protrude above the tooth surface.

The origin of dental erosion in a nutshell

How and what you eat and drink has a major influence on the development of dental erosion. To avoid discovering it only at an advanced stage, it is important to know how erosion occurs. Oral bacteria produce acid. And these acids cause dental erosion to occur.

Acidic foods such as acidic drinks

Acidic foods and drinks, such as candy, excessive fruit, or soft drinks, are the primary reason people ingest too much acid. There are many acidic products that are eaten and drunk daily. Examples include products with a lot of added sugar, such as cola and other soft drinks, and sour candy. Even foods you might not expect can cause tooth erosion with frequent consumption.

Sour fruit

It does not always have to be about products with a characteristic sour taste. Even products and foods that are in principle very healthy can cause tooth erosion. Fruit is a good example of this. This is also the basis for the advice to eat no more than two pieces of fruit per day.

When it comes to acidic foods, quite a few people are well aware that soft drinks and other acidic products are not good for the teeth. However, what many people do not know is that fruit juices, for example, are even more acidic and increase the risk of tooth erosion more than soft drinks. Our advice, therefore: do not drink fruit juice too often or in too large quantities.

The effect of saliva and medication

Saliva plays an important role in preventing dental erosion. Saliva neutralizes the acids in the mouth and thus prevents tooth erosion. You must be careful if you are taking medication. Did you know that many types of medication inhibit saliva production? As a result, the acid has an effect in the mouth for longer, making you more susceptible to dental erosion.

How can you prevent erosion?

Limit the consumption of acidic products such as acidic soft drinks, candy, and other acidic products to a minimum. Of course, it depends on *how* many acidic products you eat and drink. You can have a glass of cola occasionally, but do not do it too often. It also helps to switch to healthier alternatives, such as sugar-free chewing gum, unsweetened tea, or sugar-free soft drinks.

Other problems with acidic food

In addition, it is wise to reduce your consumption of acidic foods and drinks, as ingredients such as added phosphoric acid can also cause heartburn. And heartburn is, of course, never pleasant.

Can't you taste it? That doesn't mean a product isn't sour!

It is often the case that you are dealing with an acidic drink or product, while you do not taste the acidity. In many acidic products, this acidity is suppressed by sweeteners and sugar. Furthermore, with healthier alternatives such as fruit juices, you are dealing with at least as much acidity, often even more.

Rinse your mouth regularly

Another thing that helps is rinsing your mouth regularly, for example twice a day. And make sure you also brush your teeth daily, preferably twice. This results in less to hardly any tooth erosion, because the acids from food and drink are then better removed from your mouth and teeth.

Soft toothbrush

Preventing erosion is not just about food or drink. You can also reduce the risk of dental erosion by, for example, brushing your teeth with a softer brush. After all, if you brush your teeth too roughly, you can damage them.

Keep up with it!

Of course, you can take a considerable number of measures to prevent dental erosion, but the most important thing, and the one that helps best, is keeping track of what you eat and drink.

Keep track of how much acidic fruit you eat, the amount of fruit juices you drink, and how often you consume lemon or malic acid per day. Creating an overview is the best way to prevent problems such as tooth erosion.

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