Did you know your digestive health can affect your teeth? Frequent stomach upset can cause a gradual wearing away of the protective enamel on your teeth, a process known as tooth erosion. This can affect the appearance of your teeth and open the door for harmful bacteria that cause cavities. How Do Stomach Problems Affect My Teeth? Your stomach produces natural acids that help your body digest food. Sometimes, these acids travel up the throat and into the mouth, especially after a large meal. Ordinarily, our saliva rebalances the acid levels in our mouth and everything’s fine. But for those who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux, also known as acid reflux or GERD, gastric acids reach the mouth throughout the day. This process is …
Tooth Erosion
Many people consume carbonated beverages, fruit juice, and highly acidic foods every day but probably don’t realize that they might be harming their teeth. The acid in the foods we eat and drink can cause tooth enamel to wear away, making teeth sensitive, cracked, and discolored. What is tooth enamel erosion? Tooth erosion, or tooth wear, is the loss of tooth structure. Basically, tooth erosion refers to the wearing away of the hard part of your teeth, which is called the enamel. What causes enamel erosion? Tooth erosion occurs when the enamel on your teeth is worn away by acid. Usually the calcium contained in saliva will help remineralize (or strengthen) your teeth after you consume small amounts of acid, but the presence of a …