What is Dental Erosion?

Dental erosion is a very common and growing problem for people of all ages, yes, all ages; erosion is especially a problem for adults and seniors.

Many dentists have seen a significant increase in premature wear to our patient's teeth in the last fifteen years. As most people keep their teeth throughout their lives, we have become more aware of the variety of wear issues that can occur. Dental erosion is a broad category describing premature loss of tooth structure, starting with enamel, which can be cause by many different factors.
Signs of dental erosion can be:

• A translucent appearance of front teeth
• A rounded or cupped appearance of back teeth
• Notches and yellow areas along the gum line
• A noticeable, severe loss of general tooth structure on multiple teeth

In some cases, patients can become hypersensitive to hot, cold, and sweets but often the progression is symptomless until it becomes severe.
The most common causes of dental erosion are:

• Acid in food that we eat and drink repeatedly on a regular basis
• Parafunctional habits such as grinding or clenching teeth
• Medical conditions like gastric reflux disease, sleep apnea, bulimia, and anorexia
• Vegetarian diets
• Decreased saliva flow

Many dentists are now screening their patients for signs of dental erosion on a regular basis. At our Park Ridge dental office, Rubino Dentistry has detailed diagnostic routine, which will help us identify the specific factors in a particular event. Once that is done, then we can begin to form a solution that often includes dietary, saliva, and cavity activity analysis followed by modifications to reduce the source of dental erosion.

In addition, dental appliances to control harmful habits like grinding and sleep apnea may be recommended. In some cases, we suggest that a patient have a comprehensive evaluation by their physician if systemic disease is suspected. The good news is that many dentists can now identify dental erosion in its early stages and stop what can be a very destructive oral health problem.
Sometimes, it can be hard to detect dental erosion on your own, as it can be symptomless until the problem is much more severe.

Make sure to schedule regular dental visits to make sure your dentist is able to catch it before it is a bigger problem.

If you think you have dental erosion, then contact Rubino Dentistry, a dentist in Chicago. We would love to see you!