• What causes dental erosions?

My dentist said that he noticed erosion on my teeth, and I've never really heard of it before. What does it mean to have dental erosion, and what causes it?

14 Answers

  • Dentist
  • Kitchener, ON

Strictly speaking, these erosions are caused by acid. This can be from increased acidification of your saliva due to GI issues and/or reflux. It can also result from high acidity in your diet (think: red wine, citrus juices, hot sauce, soda pop). Dealing with reflux and GI issues or decreasing dietary acids may slow the rate of acid erosion.

Some dentists describe the divots that form on your teeth near your gum line "erosions" but those are, in fact, "abfractions". The name is not as important as the difference in cause: these divots are related to tooth grinding and, therefore, the solution is different.

  • Dentist
  • Melbourne, FL

Your dentist should have spent a little time with you to discuss your dental erosion. It is caused by aggresive brushing with too much toothpaste.

  • Dentist
  • Cleveland, Oh

Dental erosion is losing the outer layer of the tooth, the enamel. There are too many factors that can cause it. Some of these factors are brushing too hard, grinding your teeth, acid reflux, etc.

  • Dentist
  • Brooklyn, NY

Chemical erosion usually comes from acidic foods and drinks that may linger in the mouth, like lemon juice.. Bulimia (throwing up) can cause it from the acid within vomit. Mechanical erosion from overzealous brushing with a medium or hard brush also a possibility.

  • Dentist
  • Chattanooga, Tennessee

Erosion may have social causes that are gender-specific. The pH balance of the oral cavity is meant to be in a delicate balance. Anytime this balance is interrupted chronically over a long period of time it can affect the consistency of the enamel in the form of erosion such as in tobacco juice or excessive citric acid from overconsumption of pizza, orange juice lemonade or the habit of adolescent sucking on lemons. It is likely the acid in the foods or drink that are causing the rosian if not over brushing with a hard bristle toothbrush and using the wrong stroke as opposed to the correct rolling motion we are taught that is best to rid the food particles from the teeth.

  • Dentist
  • Northville, MI

Your enamel and tooth structure are wearing away. Certain types of food and drink can cause this as well as abrasive toothpastes.

  • Dentist
  • Astoria, NY

Dental erosion refers to a loss of tooth structure. It can be caused by over zealous brushing, grinding teeth, or an acidic diet.

Steven Manson, DDS

  • Dentist
  • Millington, TN

Dental erosion is usually caused by an acid such as the stomach has and occurs during gastric regurgitation. This is different than attrition which is the mechanical wearing away of the enamel due to friction such as in chewing tobacco.

  • Dentist
  • Los Angeles, California

Acid reflux from GI or GERD can be the cause. I would check with a GI to see if you other issues

  • Dentist
  • Vista, CA

Acidic food and drinks like carbonated drinks. Habitual grinding and clenching of the teeth can also cause this.

  • Dentist
  • Reno, NV

Dental erosion is caused by acidic substances pooling I certain areas of the teeth which leads to scooped out lesions in appearance. This is common in individuals with acid reflux and GERD.

  • Dentist
  • New Providence, NJ

Erosion means that the enamel layer of your tooth is thinner or non-existent. This can occur with acid reflux or with a highly acidic diet.

  • Dentist
  • Evansville, IN

Erosion is caused by acid wearing away the tooth's natural enamel. It is caused by eating a lot of acidic foods (oranges, lemons, tomatoes...). It can also be caused by Bulimia in which the erosion would be on the backside of your upper teeth.

  • Dentist
  • Chicago, IL

There are many causes for dental erosion. The most common cause when it occurs at the gumline is brushing with too stiff of a tooth brush, with too much force or with too abrasive of a tooth paste. Also heavy nighttime grinding can cause 'abfraction' which is grooves in the necks of teeth at the gumline. Abrasion of the sides of teeth, particularly the insides of the bottom back teeth, can be caused by acid reflux or bolemia.

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