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Dental erosion is the progressive and irreversible loss of tooth structure on account of exposure to various chemicals, leading to chemical dissolution of the teeth. Also called acid erosion, dental erosion is not caused by bacterial or microbial degeneration processes.

Dental erosion is a common ailment in children and teenagers in the age group of five to eighteen years. Dental erosion attacks the enamel of the teeth and if unchecked, may also infest the dentin part of the teeth.

The major causes of acid or dental erosion are:

• External acidic sources : Foods with lower pH are considered acidic and may cause dental erosion. These foods include aerated or carbonated drinks, fruit juices, particularly apple and orange juices, and sports drinks. Also, sugar contained in foods or drink may turn acidic and as such, may cause acid erosion. Saliva acts as a buffer so as to neutralize the high pH of acidic foods, but certain acidic foods like fruit juices are highly resistant to this buffering action of saliva and as such, are the major sources of acid for the dental erosion.
• Internal acidic sources : These sources include the gastric juices secreted by stomach. Sometimes, food is regurgitated from the stomach to the mouth, thereby causing the teeth to come in contact with these acidic gastric juices.
• Improper behavioral patterns : These include frequent brushing of teeth (or abrasion) and attrition.

The symptoms of dental erosion are:

• Change in color of the enamel of the teeth.
• Wear on the surface of the tooth.
• Formation of divots on the chewing surfaces of teeth.

Some of the remedies to cure dental erosion are:

• You must not brush your teeth very frequently, that is, more than twice a day.
• You must restrict the intake of carbonated drinks.
• You must also restrict the consumption of apple and orange juices. You should use a straw to drink juices so as to avoid the contact of these acidic drinks with teeth.
• You may also use remineralizing agents like sodium fluoride immediately before brushing your teeth.
• You must drink milk and consume other dairy products regularly in your diet.
• You must consume foods with high calcium content so as to strengthen your teeth. These foods include yogurt, cheese, peas, broccoli, almonds, white beans, and salmon.
• You may use antacid agents so as to control the internal acidic sources.

You must consult a dentist so as to diagnose the cause of the affliction and then treat the root cause of the disease to cure dental erosion permanently.