To protect your health, is it enough to pay attention to your intake of sweets? Also pay attention to acidic foods. Eating or drinking acidic foods and drinks for a long time will cause the loss of enamel on the surface of the teeth and increase the risk of tooth erosion. Teeth become sensitive and develop yellow spots. In severe cases, they may become thin and brittle. Damaged teeth may even need to be extracted!
Tooth erosion can appear as early as 20 years old
In order to understand Hong Kong people’s understanding of sensitive teeth and tooth erosion, the Hong Kong Society of Preventive Dentistry conducted an online questionnaire survey last month, interviewing a total of 1,452 Hong Kong citizens aged between 25 and 45 years old. The results showed that up to 96% of the respondents had at least one symptom of tooth erosion. Half of the people had yellowing teeth. More than 40% reported tooth numbness and pain when eating sweet and sour foods or drinking hot and cold drinks. About one-fifth of the respondents had problems such as chipping and thinning of the edges of their teeth.
40% of them said that the symptoms of tooth erosion had already appeared between the ages of 21 and 30, and more than 20% of the respondents had already experienced 3 symptoms. Professor Zhu Zhenxiong, associate dean of the School of Dentistry of the University of Hong Kong, bluntly said that the situation is not ideal.
People who eat acidic foods for a long time are at high risk
Tooth erosion is a chronic problem that is closely related to diet and living habits. It is caused by frequent consumption of highly acidic foods or drinks, which can lead to the loss of enamel on the tooth surface. Professor Zhu reminded that tooth erosion is irreversible damage. Once the enamel is damaged, it cannot recover or regenerate on its own.
Early symptoms include yellowing and sensitivity of the teeth, the surface becoming smooth, and the dentin being exposed. In the later stages, the teeth become thinner and more translucent, yellow spots appear, and even the edges begin to chip, making them easily chipped or broken. In severe cases, the tooth pulp can be affected, causing severe pain. If the situation is serious, you need to seek medical treatment. Treatment methods such as tooth root removal, dental crowns, and even dental implants are complicated and expensive, and the patient’s appearance and quality of life are also greatly affected.
Highly acidic foods include lemon tea, lemonade, red wine, pickled fish, plums, etc. In fact, some sports drinks, sodas and lactic acid drinks on the market are also acidic drinks, but they may not be noticed by the public because they contain added sugar and do not taste sour.
Generally speaking, the critical pH value of enamel is about 5.5. Any solution lower than 5.5 can cause the enamel to be acid-eroded and lost. The pH of cola, sports drinks, and lemon tea are 2.2, 2.9, and 3.1 respectively. However, the survey also found that 30% of the respondents said they often drink lemon tea and lemonade, 25% often drink soda, and about 10% often eat sweet snacks, including pickled plums, lemon juice, ginger, cheese, or drink fruit vinegar, fruit juice, etc.
Brushing your teeth immediately after a meal can counteract the effects
In recent years, the public’s health awareness has gradually increased, and many people have chosen to give up sweets. The survey also found that nearly half of the respondents said they adopted a diet of “replacing sweetness with sourness” and chose to drink lemon tea and lemonade instead of sugary drinks. In the long run, this will also increase the risk of tooth erosion. The “eat small, frequent meals” often advocated by those who lose weight turns out to have an impact on teeth. Because saliva contains calcium and phosphorus, it can repair lost minerals on the tooth surface. However, it takes time to neutralize oral acidity and produce remineralization. If you eat small meals frequently or eat frequently, your saliva may not be repaired in time.
Due to lack of knowledge, the public also has many fallacies about how to deal with tooth erosion. Nearly 80% of adults mistakenly believe that the early symptoms of tooth erosion, including yellowing and thinning of teeth, are normal aging phenomena, and 1% of adults even stated that they would not deal with this problem. Even if they notice a problem, some people think that flossing, scaling, bleaching, rinsing, or switching to anti-sensitivity toothpaste can help solve acid erosion. They even brush their teeth as soon as possible after each meal to maintain dental health.
Professor Zhu clarified that flossing, scaling, bleaching, and gargling are all incorrect treatment methods, and switching to anti-sensitivity toothpaste can only help relieve the symptoms of tooth sensitivity or numbness, but will not help treat the source (tooth erosion). Brushing your teeth immediately after each meal is even more risky, because after eating acidic foods, the enamel on the tooth surface will temporarily soften. If you brush your teeth immediately at this time, there is a chance of causing greater harm.
Acid reflux corrodes teeth
Zhao Guoliang, chief pharmacist of the community pharmacy, added that in addition to eating habits, people who often vomit or have acid reflux are also at high risk of tooth erosion. As we age, bad eating habits such as overeating and high stress will stimulate gastric acid secretion, acid reflux is becoming increasingly common among urbanites.
Zhao Guoliang cited data saying that between 2002 and 2011, the number of acid reflux cases among Hong Kong people increased by 50%, with half to one adult experiencing acid reflux at least once a week. When gastric acid refluxes into the esophagus, throat or even the mouth, the patient may feel “heartburn”, cough or sore throat. If gastric acid remains in the mouth, it will also cause tooth erosion. Even if acid reflux occurs repeatedly, some patients still do not need to seek immediate medical attention. Over time, they develop sensitive teeth, or even have yellow spots on the surface of the teeth, become thinner or even translucent.
If you are troubled by acid reflux, Zhao Guoliang advises patients to avoid high-fat and high-cholesterol foods, and avoid lying down or lying down after eating. Meal time should not be too late, such as falling asleep immediately within two hours after eating, and eating should not be done before or after exercise. In addition, quitting smoking and managing weight can also help improve acid reflux. If the problem continues to get worse, seek medical attention immediately.
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