Key messages
- Tooth erosion is the loss of tooth structure that is dissolved by acids.
- Tooth erosion occurs in two stages, first is the erosion and second is the wear.
- Common acid sources that can damage teeth include sugary drinks, citrus fruit water, and stomach acid from vomiting.
- Tooth structure that is worn away can only be replaced by a dentist using treatments such as fillings and crowns.
Tooth erosion can affect people of all ages and is one of the most common dental diseases. It may also be called dental erosion or erosive tooth wear.
What is tooth erosion?
Tooth erosion is the loss of tooth structure that is dissolved from acids contacting the teeth. These acids can come from inside the body, such as stomach acid from reflux or vomiting, or from outside the body such as foods and drinks. Frequent acid contact for long periods of time increases your risk of tooth erosion.
How does tooth erosion occur?
Tooth erosion occur due to diet and oral hygiene habits. The effects add up over time. The wear process occurs in two stages.
- Erosion - acids that coat the surface of your teeth remove minerals from inside the tooth structure. This causes the outside tooth surface to become softer.
- Wear - the softened and weakened tooth surfaces are worn away by forces rubbing on the teeth, such as your other teeth.
Tooth erosion most commonly occurs on the top, biting surfaces and inside surfaces of teeth. The inside surfaces are particularly affected when the acid comes from reflux and vomiting.
How will tooth erosion damage my teeth?
Tooth erosion can damage the health and appearance of your teeth. Teeth damaged by erosion can:
- become sensitive to hot and cold temperatures
- look shorter with sharp edges
- chip or fracture easily
- look darker because the tooth enamel becomes thin, and the yellow dentine can be seen through it
The way your teeth bite together can change when multiple or all teeth are affected.
Tooth structure that is worn away can only be replaced by a dentist using treatments such as fillings or crowns.
How can I prevent tooth erosion?
Your dentist will be able to tell you if the surfaces of your teeth are worn because of acid erosion. They may talk with you to find out the source of the acids. Finding the acid source is important to help you prevent more damage. Sources can include drinking sugary drinks and citrus fruit water, and regular vomiting.
Sugary drinks
Sugary drinks are a common cause of tooth erosion. Protect your teeth by not drinking sugary drinks regularly. These drinks include both sugar and acids. They are not good for the health of your teeth. This includes:
- soft drinks
- energy drinks
- sports drinks
- fruit juice, both with and without added sugar.
Hear about the risks of sugary drinks.
Citrus fruit water
Adding citrus fruits, such as lemon and lime to your water makes your drink more acidic. Sipping these drinks throughout the day is not recommended. It can cause your teeth to be damaged by acid over and over again. Sipping the drink frequently means your teeth will not have time to recover from the last acid attack before another happens.
Vomiting
Stomach acids are very acidic. Vomiting causes these acids to cover tooth surfaces. When this happens often, it can cause your teeth to wear away.
How to protect your teeth
After having acidic foods or drinks, ways to protect your teeth include:
- drink water or milk
- eat a piece of cheese
- rinse your mouth with fluoride mouthwash
- chew sugar free chewing gum
- wait 60 minutes before brushing your teeth.
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