Acid Erosion
Last updated: 28th June 2023
Written by Dr Zaeem Jafri
What is acid erosion?
Many patients suffer from acid erosion and do not realise that it is happening or what is causing it.
If your teeth are exposed to acids, either from your diet or from your body, they will soften and eventually start to break down and erode away. This process happens very slowly over a long period of time. Initially, you won’t feel any pain but as your teeth wear down more and more they will start to get sensitive, painful and begin to impact the way that your teeth look.
Mild erosion - Caused by drinking acidic drinks out of a bottle
Severe erosion affecting most teeth
Erosion affecting the inside surfaces of top teeth, caused by excessive vomiting
What causes acid erosion?
From your diet
The most common cause of acid erosion is from your diet, many foods and drinks are acidic and some of them may surprise you
Anything fizzy or sparkling
Even if they are sugar-free/diet versions, any drink that is fizzy is carbonated and therefore acidic, and yes that includes sparkling water!
Anything fruity
Most fruits are acidic in nature. Although they are very good for your health, fruit juices, smoothies and fruit-infused water are all acidic and you need to take care about how you consume these drinks
Anything alcoholic
Most common alcoholic drinks like beer and wine are acidic
From Inside your body
Some people may find stomach acids coming up into their mouth. This usually causes erosion of the back teeth or the inside surfaces of the front teeth.
Vomiting
This can be due to several things such as excessive drinking, pregnancy, bulimia or other medical conditions
Heartburn, acid reflux and GORD (Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease)
These conditions can force acids from your stomach into the mouth and cause erosion just like vomiting as mentioned above.
How to prevent acid erosion
Eliminating the source
The best way to prevent acid erosion would be to eliminate the source. Carefully consider your diet and replace any acidic drinks with plain water or milk. If you suffer from health conditions leading to reflux or vomiting then make sure you are working closely with your GP to manage them.
Reducing the impact of acidic drinks
We know you aren’t going to stop drinking acidic drinks instantly so with some careful consideration you can do the following things to reduce the impact that they have on your teeth:
Use a straw. This allows the drink to bypass your teeth (consider using a biodegradable re-useable one)
Keep acidic foods to mealtimes only. During meals, your mouth produces a lot more saliva which can help neutralise the acids in your mouth
After any acidic intake, wash your mouth with plain water or mouthwash or use sugar-free chewing gum to stimulate saliva flow
Using a fluoride toothpaste
The fluoride in your toothpaste hardens the outer layer of the enamel on your teeth making them more resistant to acid erosion. Make sure you are using the right amount of fluoride for your age.