This article explains what causes acid erosion on teeth, highly acidic, medium, and low acidic foods, prevention, and treatments for acid erosion on teeth, etc.
When acid isn’t produced by bacteria, it breaks down tooth enamel and causes permanent damage to your teeth. First, you’ll lose your enamel, and then you’ll expose the dentin underneath it.
If you’re prone to hypersensitivity, it can lead to tooth loss if you don’t treat your gum disease. Tooth wear and tear can be caused by both internal and external factors.
When stomach acid is released into your mouth, it can overwhelm your salivary buffer. If you’re not taking the necessary oral health precautions, this can lead to tooth erosion.
What Causes Acid Erosion On Teeth
Find out about what causes acid erosion on teeth below:
1. Acid reflux
Acid reflux is one of the most common digestive disorders. Also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), acid reflux occurs when stomach acid reabsorbs into the throat and, in some cases, the mouth, where it makes contact with your teeth.
It is important to avoid foods that can trigger a reflux reaction. Foods such as tomatoes, peppers, chocolates, alcohol, and coffee can all cause digestive upset.
Keep in mind that reflux can be treated with medication. If you think you may have GERD and could benefit from more direct treatment, talk to your doctor.
2. Soda
Drinking carbonated soft drinks is a big no-no – they’re packed with sugar, which can cause plaque to build up and erode your enamel.
Even if you’re on a diet, they’re still pretty acidic. Drinking soda can also damage your enamel in the same way that drugs can.
So, like citrus fruits, plain water is a great way to get your caffeine fix in the morning.
3. Pregnancy
Pregnancy is full of ups and downs as your body works to produce a healthy fetus. One of those ups and downs is morning sickness.
Along with the long-term nausea, morning sickness often leaves acid in your mouth. Like acid reflux, acid can erode your enamel.
So, if you experience morning sickness, brush your teeth soon after the episode to get rid of the acid and drink water for the same reason.
4. Swimming pools
Swimming in a pool is a great way to cool down on a hot summer’s day, but swimming in chlorinated water can damage your teeth.
The chlorine in the water can get into your mouth and cause damage to your enamel, so it’s important to check the chlorine level and pH level of your pool before you jump in.
Highly acidic foods
- Mango sours
- Lemon juice
- Wine
- Sports drinks
- Tonic water
- Cherries
- Carbonated soft drinks, including diet
- Oranges
- Plums
- Iced tea
- Blackberries, blueberries and strawberries
- Grapefruit juice
- Pickles
- Vinegar
- Apple sauce
- Apple juice and apple cider
- Salad dressing
- Cranberries
- Orange juice
- White wine
- Tomatoes
Medium acidic foods
- Root beer
- Honey
- Tomato ketchup
- Vegetables
- Seedless raisins
- Vitamin C tablets
- Beer
- Apples
- Lemon yogurt
- Green olives
- Pesto
- Pears
- Apricots
- Figs
- Carrot juice
- Tea (black)
- Beet juice
Low acidic foods
- Natural yogurt
- Yogurt drinks
- Orange probiotic yogurt
- Bananas
- Rye, wheat, and white bread
- Cheese
- Barley
- Avocados
- Broccoli
- Cucumber
- Black olives
- Peanut butter
- Milk
- Mineral water
How Do You Prevent Acid Erosion on Teeth?
Here are a few things you can do to help protect your teeth from acid erosion:
- Limit or stay away from acidic foods and drinks. Use a straw when drinking acidic beverages. Consume acidic foods such as citrus, citrus-flavored, carbonated, or sour foods with calcium-rich foods such as milk or cheese to counteract the acidity.
- Rinse your mouth often with water. After consuming acidic food, rinse your mouth with water immediately after eating. If you have frequent vomiting, rinse your mouth immediately after consuming acidic food. You can also add baking soda to your water to neutralize the acid.
- Don’t brush your teeth right after eating an acidic snack or if you have an upset stomach. Wait 30 to an hour before brushing your teeth so that you don’t damage the weakened enamel.
What Are Treatments for Acid Erosion on Teeth?
If you’ve had acid erosion, it can have a big impact on your teeth and your smile. But it’s important to remember that it can be prevented and treated with a good diet, good oral hygiene, and regular dental check-ups.
Your dentist may suggest other treatments, like remaining toothpaste for minor erosion, dental bonding for more severe erosion, or crowns for more severe erosion.
Crowns can cover the whole tooth and protect sensitive dentin, while bonding can help restore the enamel and even change the shape of your teeth to make them look more natural.
A Word From GetMe Treated
Eating and drinking foods and drinks high in acid and investing in enamel-boosting toothpaste like Pronamel should be part of your daily oral hygiene regimen. This, combined with regular dental visits, can help stop acid erosion from worsening.
FAQs Related To What Causes Acid Erosion On Teeth
How do you fix acid erosion on teeth?
Your dentist may recommend fluoride varnishes or remineralizing treatments to strengthen your remaining enamel.
What is tooth erosion caused by?
Acidic foods and drinks can cause erosion.
Can you reverse acid erosion on teeth?
Due to the absence of living cells in tooth enamel, once it is removed, the body is unable to repair the damage caused by enamel wear by itself.
Fortunately, the correct oral hygiene and diet can help to reinforce and restore enamel that has been weakened by acid.
Which drinks damage your teeth the most?
Soda drinks
Can acid erosion in teeth be reversed?
As mentioned above, tooth enamel doesn’t heal on its own. So, if you’ve already started to lose your enamel, you can’t undo it. But don’t worry, there is a way to stop it from getting worse.
What are the main causes of tooth erosion?
The most common reasons for tooth loss are poor oral hygiene, high sugar and acid content in food, teeth grinding and acid reflux problems, certain medications, and eating disorders. Tooth enamel is the protective material that makes up the hard surface of the tooth.
Can You reverse acid erosion?
You can’t undo the damage, but you can stop acid erosion from happening in the future. If you’ve lost your teeth, some cosmetic treatments can help make your teeth look better, like veneers crowns, or even implants.
What neutralizes acid to prevent tooth decay?
Toothpaste
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