| Dental Erosion - Is Your Child at Risk? |
| Written by Dr Helen Cornwell | ||||
| Tuesday, 31 August 2010 13:21 | ||||
 Looking after our kids' teeth is another of those parental duties which can get lost in the general busy-ness of our lives. Unfortumnately the consequesnces of a lax approach to dental health can be damaging and permanent. Paediatric Dentist, Dr Helen Cornwell, writes for us about the issue of dental erosion.
Dental erosion was the theme of this year’s Australian Dental Association Dental Health Week this August. Erosion is loss of tooth structure due to acid. Teeth are sensitive to acid and dissolve when the pH is below 5.5 (neutral=pH7). The source of these acids can be from the gut as gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), or from the foods we eat and drink. These acids can dissolve the teeth relatively quickly and result in symptoms of hot, cold and sweet sensitivity. Erosion also effects the appearance of teeth and these teeth often require extensive restoration with fillings and crowns. Children are not immune to dental erosion and in one study of 14 year olds 50% had some signs of erosion. Acid from food and drink Acids are in foods and drinks for a number of reasons including taste, texture, as an anti-oxidant and preservative. They give our mouth a clean fresh feeling. Whilst a drink may be consumed quickly the acid can stay in the mouth for half an hour to an hour after we have finished. Acidic foods and drinks include: cordials, soft drinks, sport drinks, yoghurts, confectionary and sour lollies. While fruit is acidic the fibre in fresh fruit and vegetables helps protect damage to teeth. Similarly milk, yoghurt and cheese are all slightly acidic but the proteins in milk afford the teeth some protection. However it is important to minimize the number of exposures of teeth per day. Ideally teeth should only be exposed to sugary and acidic food and drinks 5-6 times per day (ie: breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2-3 snacks). GERD and Medications Some children are at increased risk of damage to their teeth from erosion due to less saliva or increased chance of gastroesophageal reflux. These may include children with: Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Prader Willi Syndrome, and some cleft palate patients. Children requiring longterm medication, including vitamin C supplements as well as asthma preventers are also at risk. Protecting your child’s teeth from dental erosion Limiting the consumption of acidic drinks can largely prevent dental erosion. If soft drinks, juices or cordials are to be drunk, doing so with a meal helps to reverse the acid. Straws can also keep the acid off the teeth and children should not swish these drinks around their mouths. Sports and energy drinks (eg Gatorade and Powerade) are particularly harmful for teeth and shouldn’t be used by children unless under the supervision of a dietician or doctor. Facts about dental erosion 1. Adding water to fruit juice or cordial decreases the sugar concentration but does not significantly change their acidity 2. Diet drinks can be as acidic as sugar-containing drinks 3. Sports drinks are acidic and should not be consumed in children unless under the direction of a dietician 4. Erosion weakens teeth and can result in holes causing pain and sensitivity in children 5. Straws can be used to minimize acid contact with teeth Author: Dr Helen Cornwell (BDS, MDSC, FRACDS; Paediatric Dentist; Conjoint Senior Lecturer, University of Newcastle)
Bookmark
Email this
Comments (1)
cisco transceivers
said:
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed
 |
... Order fiber optic transceiver from SFPEX - the leading manufacturer of optical transceiver such as SFP, SFP+, XFP,X2, Mini-SAS Cable,CX4 Cable,XENPAK, GBIC, BIDI, CWDM, DWDM. |
Write comment
Show/hide comment form