Acid reflux can cause painful and frustrating symptoms such as a feeling of burning in the
stomach, chest, or throat—also called heartburn—and indigestion, or pain in the upper
abdomen.

Unfortunately, acid reflux can have detrimental effects on your smile. How can you stop this
condition from affecting your teeth and gums during the holiday?

Understanding the Effects of Acid Reflux on Your Smile

Since acid reflux causes stomach acids to end up in the esophagus, traces of these acids are also
likely to end up in the oral cavity. These acids are extremely corrosive to tooth enamel. Even if
you have an otherwise healthy smile, the acids involved in GERD can quickly eat away at tooth
enamel, leaving your teeth sensitive and more prone to decay.

While brushing your teeth sounds like it would be the best solution to combating the effects of
acid reflux, this isn’t true. Brushing your teeth while acids have had a chance to attack tooth
enamel actually make it more likely that your tooth enamel will get brushed away. Enamel is
porous and will become softer and more likely to be removed when acid is present.

When You Should Be Concerned

Acid reflux is a concern for people who either do not realize they have the disorder or do not
manage it properly. Treating your acid reflux is going to be key to keeping those harsh acids out
of your mouth and in your stomach where they belong.

Without treatment, acid reflux has the potential to continue to cause your smile irreparable
harm. Once tooth enamel has been removed, it can’t be replaced, although your dentist can
help you manage your tooth sensitivity and missing enamel to help prevent decay.

What You Can Do About It

Your first step is going to be treating your acid reflux, for which you can visit your primary care
physician. Your acid reflux may have an underlying cause that needs to be addressed to correct
the problem, or the condition may be chronic and need to be managed.

Regardless, don’t give up hope. Your doctor can help you come up with a plan to address your
GERD and curb your symptoms while your dentist can help you care for your smile and get your
teeth and gums back on track. You don’t have to let acid reflux ruin your smile this holiday!

When it comes to acid reflux, time is of the essence. Waiting to get your symptoms evaluated
isn’t doing your smile any favors. If you believe you’re suffering from GERD, get your symptoms
evaluated by a doctor and get your smile checked out by a dentist. You can recover from this
and your smile can too!

The post Heartburn and Indigestion: Protect Your Smile This Holiday Season appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Acids Can Erode Enamel

The acids in your stomach that get into your esophagus can end up in your mouth, and they will actually wear your enamel away over time. It basically removes layers of protection from your teeth. In addition to this, people who suffer from acid reflux tend to have dryer mouths. Lack of saliva in your mouth can contribute to a more acidic pH, therefore making an ideal environment for bacteria and plaque to grow. With the acids in your mouth, the pH balance in your mouth can become very acidic, therefore contributing to tooth decay, cavities, and eventually, erosion of your enamel.

Potential Dental Health Problems

What happens when your enamel begins to wear away? One of the first signs that your enamel may be in trouble is tooth sensitivity. The sensitivity may start out as only minor occasional pain, but it can eventually encompass all your teeth and the pain can become extreme. The loss of enamel leads to a variety of problems with your teeth and gums, tooth sensitivity merely being the beginning. You may also experience tooth decay and gum disease as a result of the bacteria in your mouth, dry mouth, and plaque formation. If your gums begin to recede, your roots may be exposed to harmful bacteria. Eventually, you could lose your teeth.

What Can You Do?

If you know you struggle with acid reflux, visiting your doctor for treatment is important. You may need to change your diet, take advantage of medication, or make other lifestyle changes. After this, visit your dentist and talk with him or her about acid reflux and how it can harm your teeth. Your dentist can perform an exam and identify any problems that may be happening in your mouth. The early stages of enamel erosion may not be so severe—such as the translucent appearance of your teeth or the minor tooth sensitivity—but eventually your symptoms will get worse. Your dentist can help you spot problems before they start, and also help you to treat any existing problems.

At home, you can limit consumption of foods and drinks that are acidic in nature, such as juices, soda, or alcohol. If you do eat acidic foods often (such as sweets or citrus fruits), try to rinse your mouth with water afterward. If you experience dry mouth, drink more water. Don’t forget to get treatment for your acid reflux—without treating the cause of your tooth damage, it will continue to happen!

Protect your teeth from the damage of acid reflux. Visit your dentist to ensure your teeth are healthy and to learn more about what you can do to protect your mouth. Treating your acid reflux disease is also an important step in preventing tooth decay and other problems that arise from stomach acids in the mouth!

The post Acid Reflux Harms Your Dental Health appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.