In order to ensure your smile is well protected from the dangers that can arise throughout your life, it is important to be aware of the risks of dental erosion. Dental erosion can occur at any time and any age and can slowly wear away the tooth enamel on your tooth. If dental erosion occurs, your teeth will be susceptible to infections and eventual tooth loss.
Dental erosion can arise from numerous causes. Acid reflux disease is a known cause of dental erosion, as it can cause stomach acids to travel up your esophagus and into your mouth. In addition, oral health conditions such as dry mouth can greatly increase your risk for numerous ailments including dental erosion. Certain medications and other environmental factors can increase your risk for dry mouth. In addition, genetic predispositions, and an excessive consumption of sugar can also increase your risk of dental erosion.
In order to treat dental erosion, it is important to treat the underlying factors causing it. You should always maintain an effective oral health care plan by brushing twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and flossing every day with a shed-resistant dental floss. As a substitute, water flossers can be used as an effective interdental cleaner.
Saliva production is hugely important for the maintenance of your smile. In order to produce saliva, try using a sugarless chewing gum after meals or use mouthwash. By chewing sugarless gum after meals for a period of 20 minutes, you can help produce additional saliva and prevent dental erosion and cavities from damaging your smile.
Don’t get left in the dark by having poor oral hygiene without dental erosion prevention treatments. If you would like Dr. Navdeep Aulakh and our team at AZ Dental to bring you in for a comprehensive exam to determine if dental erosion prevention treatments are right for you, please set up an appointment at our dentist office in San Jose, California, by calling us at 408-295-1100.