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The British Dental Health Foundation issues
warning that dental erosion could be making your smile disappear
13-19 May 2002
Organisers of National Smile Week, the British Dental Health
Foundation says that increasing consumption of acidic drinks
such as fruit juice, fruit tea, sports drinks and fizzy drinks
is a major cause of dental erosion. Even flavoured fizzy waters
can have an effect if taken in large amounts, as they contain
certain acids which can harm the teeth, according to the oral
health charity.
Dental erosion is the loss of tooth enamel. When the enamel
is worn away it leaves the soft dentine underneath exposed.
This can lead to sensitivity and pain and in some untreated
cases tooth loss. As dentine is darker in colour than enamel
the teeth can also look stained and discoloured.
Erosion can also be caused by medical conditions, such as
a hiatus hernia, that generate high levels of stomach acid.
Bulimia is another possible cause of erosion because of high
levels of acid in self-induced vomit. Low levels of saliva
caused by dieting are another possible cause of erosion.
The Foundation recommends the following tips to help people
avoid potential dental erosion:
- Limit acidic products and fizzy drinks to mealtimes and
to reduce the number of acid attacks on teeth.
- Chew sugar-free gum - this will produce more saliva to
help cancel out acid in your mouth.
- Wait for at least one hour after eating or drinking anything
acidic before brushing your teeth. This gives your teeth
time to build up their mineral content again.
- Brush teeth twice a day with a medium tooth brush and
fluoride toothpaste.
- Finish a meal with cheese or milk and this will help neutralise
acid. VEGA says that unsweetened soya-milk or a glass of
water does the job nicely for veggies.
According to the British Dental Health Foundation:
Frequently eating sugary snacks can lead to tooth decay and
loss.
Sugary snacks such as mints, sweets, biscuits and cakes are
a major cause of tooth decay. Dried fruits such as raisins
are particularly harmful because they are sticky and sugary.
A survey in 1996 found that over 20% of three year-olds had
severe tooth decay in their front teeth, largely caused by
sugary drinks in feeding bottles.
Seven out of ten children do not get enough calcium; the
recommended daily intake for children aged 4 - 8 years is
800mg.
Chocolate is consumed by the majority of children. According
to a National survey 84% of boys and 80% of girls ate chocolate
In 2000 60% of five-year-olds had no tooth decay, up from
56% in 1995. For 14 year-olds, the 1999 figures were 47% without
tooth decay, an improvement on the 1995 figures of 44%
4% of two-year-olds have experienced some tooth decay.
The number of people losing their natural teeth has decreased
- In 1968, 37% of adults had lost all of their teeth
- In 1998, 12% of adults had lost all of their teeth
- By 2008, this figure will be down to 10%
A recent study suggested that calcium and vitamin D supplements
aimed at prevention of osteoporosis also help to reduce tooth
loss in the elderly (Krall et al, The American Journal of
Medicine, 15 October 2001).
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