An increasing number of younger individuals are losing their enamel and wearing down their teeth. While it is normal for your teeth to show some wear and tear as you age, it is abnormal for it to happen in your 20s. Dentists are worried about dental erosion, why your teeth are wearing down, and how to stop it.
🦷 What is Dental Erosion
Dental and tooth erosion are the same condition, which cannot be reversed. It is the chemical erosion of dentin and tooth enamel by an acid. Once linked to aging adults, this condition is being seen in much younger patients in alarming numbers. Dental erosion is widespread worldwide and is linked to the consumption of acidic beverages and tooth-damaging habits.
Tooth erosion over a long period of time leads to excessive irreversible loss of tooth structure, leaving your smile discolored, your teeth chipped, or significantly smaller.
🍋 Sources of Tooth Erosion
There are multiple causes of tooth erosion, some of which you can control and some you cannot.
- Acidic beverages are the most common and controllable cause of dental erosion. They are considered the number one cause of tooth erosion. This includes all soda and lemony drinks, such as carbonated lemonade, as well as the daily intake of lemon water and lemon-based beverages.
Fruit juices and sports drinks with a pH below 3.5 are at an increased risk of tooth erosion. The more sports drinks and juices you consume, the higher the possible increase in dental erosion.
- GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is another cause of tooth erosion. The increase in gastric acids in the mouth can also be from acid-producing conditions like hyperemesis while pregnant, anorexia, bulimia, and alcoholism.
In Gerd, occasional post-meal reflux is not the culprit; it is the gastric acid that collects in your mouth while sleeping that does the most damage. While you sleep, you salivate less, which can cause acid to pool on the back molars when you sleep on your back.
- Chewable Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) has been shown in studies to cause the same amount of tooth erosion as soft drinks. The ascorbic acid attacks the tooth enamel resulting in dental erosion.
- Sweet snacks and sweet-sour candy that use ascorbic acid for the sour component predispose individuals to dental erosion, especially when consumed with soda and sports drinks. Vinegar-based dressings used by salad lovers and vegetarians can also contribute to dental erosion.
- Bruxism, or teeth grinding, speeds up tooth wear and tear. The more stress you are under, the worse the grinding and teeth clenching can be. Not only will it increase tooth erosion, but it can also lead to jaw issues such as Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) dysfunction, neck and back pain, and headaches.
💡 Did You Know? Stress, saliva, and silent enamel damage
Clinical studies show that chronic stress reduces saliva flow, weakens its ability to neutralize acids, lowers the minerals that protect enamel, and increases night grinding (bruxism).
When you’re under prolonged stress, your body shifts into a sympathetic (“fight or flight”) state. This has two important oral effects:
- Saliva production drops (dry mouth)
- Saliva becomes more acidic and less protective
Saliva is your natural enamel defender. It buffers acids, supplies calcium and phosphate to remineralize enamel, and washes away corrosive agents. When stress reduces both the quantity and quality of saliva, your teeth are left exposed to acids for much longer periods.
At the same time, stress dramatically increases bruxism, especially during sleep. This means your enamel is being chemically weakened by acids and mechanically worn down by grinding—a destructive combination that accelerates tooth wear far beyond normal aging.
In other words: stress doesn’t just make you grind your teeth — it removes your teeth’s natural protection while you do it.
- Bulimia Nervosa is self-induced vomiting as a form of weight loss. 90% of all bulimics have tooth erosion caused by the acidic vomit. Dentists are more apt to notice the erosion than other healthcare providers, as most of the erosion is on the inner side of your teeth. Unfortunately, brushing after vomiting can do more damage. After vomiting, rinse the mouth with water, sodium bicarbonate, or milk before brushing.
- Pregnancy, like bulimia, can cause enamel erosion in pregnant women. Tooth erosion occurs in pregnant women with hyperemesis (a condition in which women vomit profusely in the first trimester).
- Chronic Alcoholism with recurring vomiting and increasing GERD can cause tooth erosion that worsens if the individual also imbibes in acidic drinks. Studies have shown that up to 92% of alcoholics have some form of tooth erosion.
- Lifestyle Habits, including strenuous activity and sports, decrease saliva production and increase dehydration, leading to gastric reflux and dental erosion.
Swimmers exposed to chlorine over the long term are at risk of dental erosion from chlorinated water.
✅ Dental Erosion Solutions
Dental erosion treatments are based on the severity of damage to the teeth.
Dental crowns are for severely damaged teeth. It is a restorative treatment that will leave you with a dazzling smile. Once the tooth is prepped, a crowns is placed over the damaged tooth. They are the ideal long-term solution, lasting 15-20 years with proper oral care.
Dental Veneers made of porcelain or ceramic are a restorative treatment that covers a chipped, structurally small, or fragile piece of tooth. They are fitted onto a tooth and bonded in place. Veneers are aesthetic while protecting the tooth from further damage. They can last 20-30 years with proper oral care.
Composite Bonding is the least invasive of the three dental treatments. It involves restoring the tooth to its original shape. After the tooth is prepped, composite bonding is applied. It is shaped to resemble your natural teeth. Composite bonding may need retouching at some point, especially if you have bruxism. It is critical to wear a mouthguard during composite bonding to prevent further tooth injury.
🛡️ Preventing Dental Erosion
- Limit acidic beverages such as soda, lemon water, and other carbonated or sweetened beverages. Water is great for your overall health; choose it over acidic options
- Use a straw when drinking acidic beverages
- Brush twice a day gently with a soft-bristle brush and fluoride toothpaste.
- After consuming acidic foods or beverages, wait 30 minutes before brushing. Your saliva needs time to buffer the acid and let the enamel harden. Brushing too soon can make dental erosion worse
- Improve your dairy intake. Dairy products help neutralize acids in your mouth, while calcium and phosphate help repair the enamel
- See your dentist regularly; if dental erosion should happen, it can be caught early, avoiding long-term damage
💡 Expert Tip: Did You Know?
If you drink coffee when you’re stressed, avoid sipping it slowly over a long time. Try to finish it within 10–15 minutes, then take a few sips of water or eat a small bite of cheese or nuts.
Why this helps: coffee is acidic, and when you sip it for an hour, your teeth stay in an acidic environment the whole time. Under stress, saliva is reduced, so your mouth can’t neutralize those acids quickly. Water helps rinse and rebalance the mouth, while cheese or nuts stimulate saliva and provide minerals that help protect enamel.
This simple habit shortens the acid exposure time and gives your teeth a chance to recover — especially important for people with dry mouth or stress-related grinding.
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