Acid Reflux Can Be Uncomfortable and Damage Your Teeth, Creating the Need for a General Dentist

As a local general dentist, we treat a lot of patients that suffer from acid reflux. While this condition impacts your digestive system, the acid can also harm other areas of the body. This is especially true with your teeth.  When you have a high amount of stomach acid, that acid can work its way up into your mouth, creating the uncomfortable acid reflux.  This makes it difficult to eat and sleep while also damaging your teeth. 

If acid is continuously put onto your teeth, it can start the process of erosion. This is the same with eating lemons and limes or dealing with this medical condition. The longer that the acid remains on your teeth, the more damage that it can do to your enamel, thereby eroding it.  As the enamel wears away, the dentin underneath becomes exposed, and you can start to experience sensitive teeth.  Dentin is full of small holes that contain nerve endings, so any time something touches the dentin; pain signals can be sent to the brain. In order to treat this condition, we can perform a bonding procedure to seal up the dentin.

This works in many cases but when the erosion is more severe, a simple bonding procedure won’t be enough to restore the tooth. When reflux-induced erosion becomes severe,  part of the tooth structure can start to wear away as you experience bone loss.  Some patients end up with holes in their teeth while others have brittle teeth that are susceptible to breakage.  The key is to prevent it from getting to this state.  If, however, your tooth does become severely damaged we can typically restore it with a dental crown.  As a local general dentist, we use dental crowns to protect and restore teeth that have become cracked, chipped, or where a portion of the enamel and tooth structure is missing. Once the crown is placed, it will surround the tooth and prevent anything from touching it, thereby eliminating any discomfort. 

It is important to visit our general dentist office for a teeth cleaning two to four times per year so that we can watch for signs of erosion.  It is far better to treat the damage regularly and consistently then it is to perform major dental work because it was left untreated for too long.  These quarterly visits allow us to strengthen teeth with things like fluoride and to try the bonding procedure before using crowns.  If, however, we notice that the erosion has picked up we may recommend wearing crowns as a precaution. 

When you do experience an acid attack, you should immediately rinse your mouth with water in order to mitigate. While it may seem strange, you need to avoid brushing your teeth for a full hour after the attack and when you do, use a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.  This way you won’t accidentally strip away your enamel.  You should also visit your general physician to see if they can prescribe you medication to help keep the acid under control. 

Why Your Child May Need Orthodontics As They Age

When your child is growing, there are certain signs that they may need orthodontics.  If, for example, they suck their thumb past the toddler years, they may push their front teeth outwards and create an overbite.  Likewise, if their baby teeth fall out too soon, the remaining teeth may move into the position left vacant, eliminating the spot reserved for the new adult tooth. When this happens, overcrowding occurs, and a combination treatment of an expander and braces are often necessary.  Good oral hygiene and regular trips to the dentist can reduce some of these risks but ultimately genetics plays a role as well, leading to a trip to the orthodontist.

As a child, there are fewer options for straightening teeth.  This has to do with the bone structure and the child’s ability to sustain a long-term treatment.  For most children, it is recommended that traditional braces be worn instead of clear braces or aligners.  They have been proven to produce the best results with the least amount of effort on the part of the child.  While they need to be cleaned, and orthodontist appointments kept, they are fairly easy to keep in good condition.  Some children start their procedures as early as eight with an expander or spacers, while most kids don’t get braces until they are ten or older. 

As a child grows, there are more options for orthodontics treatments.  In teenage years and into adulthood, traditional braces are still extremely effective but the world of orthodontics opens up to include alternatives.  For example, some teens and adults can wear clear braces instead of metal ones.  They function in a similar fashion only the brackets are made of tooth-colored resin instead of metal.  The wires can also be made in a tooth-colored material for a natural or clear effect.  The challenge is keeping them clean.  Since it is normal for people to wear braces for around two years, this is a long time to keep the brackets from staining and many people end up with yellow looking spots on their teeth as a result.  They work well and can look great but extreme caution must be taken when caring for them. 

Alternatively, adults and some teens can use aligners to straighten teeth. This is an effective and convenient way to do so because the aligners are removable.  They only need to be worn for around twenty-two hours a day. This means that they come out every time you eat and to brush your teeth. This level of convenience makes it possible to enjoy your favorite foods and special events without worrying about your appearance.  It also reduces the amount of staining that can take place from daily eating.  Since there are no brackets to get around, there is less of a risk that food particles and plaque will remain on the teeth. 

As an adult, there are far more options available for straightening teeth. Whether your child begins the process of braces and orthodontics at an early age or waits until their teens is entirely up to you.