Newsletter | THE EROSION EPIDEMIC: THE GROWING IMPACT ON PATIENTS’ ORAL HEALTH

January 8, 2018by Lisa Philp

DENTAL EROSION HAS REACHED EPIDEMIC LEVELS

  • Recent research has shown that approximately 30% of dental patients aged 18–35 years had at least one tooth with advanced erosive tooth wear2
  • Current research shows that dental erosion in children can range from 10% to 80%3
  • Effective management of dental erosion is largely dependent on a thorough understanding of its cause and early recognition of its signs and symptoms in your patients4

 

THE STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIET AND TOOTH EROSION

  • Frequent consumption of acidic beverages is an ongoing problem for children, teenagers, and adults3
  • The dramatic increase in consumption of acidic soft drinks, fruit juices, fruit drinks, sports drinks, and carbonated beverages is now thought to be the leading cause of dental erosion in children and adolescents3

THE pH FACTOR IN EROSION

  • A neutral, enamel-safe pH level ranges from 6.75 to 7.255
  • Tooth structure begins to soften and demineralize when the pH levels fall between 6.0 and 5.55
  • The lower the pH level, the higher the acidity level – when patients consume foods and beverages with high acidity, their risk of erosion increases5
  • Teeth erode in the pH range of 2.0 to 4.03
  • With each unit decrease in pH there is a 10-fold increase in enamel solubility that can result in 100-fold increase in enamel demineralization as the pH approaches 2.0 from 43

FAST FACTS

  • Patient’s perceptions that flavoured water is as safe for teeth as plain water is false5
  • Children’s teeth have a thinner enamel layer leaving them more susceptible to rapid erosion3

WHY FLUORIDE ALONE WILL NOT PREVENT ENAMEL EROSION

  • Fluoride is not able to prevent enamel erosion because highly acidic environments solubilize fluorapatite and calcium fluoride3

STANNOUS FLUORIDE PROTECTS AGAINST ENAMEL EROSION

– EUROPEAN CONSENSUS DENTISTRY REPORT

A new Consensus Report of the European Federation of Conservative Dentistry recognizes the protective benefits of stannous fluoride dentifrice against erosive tooth wear. Products [toothpastes] containing stannous fluoride have the potential for slowing the progression of erosive tooth wear2

STANNOUS FLUORIDE — WITH AN ADDITIONAL MECHANISM OF ACTION THAT’S DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FLUORIDES

Unlike other fluorides, stannous complexes, like stannous fluorophosphate, form on enamel surfaces and block acid-susceptible dissolution sites. These stannous complexes effectively:1

 Coat enamel surface

 Form acid resistant layer

 Lowers reactivity of enamel surface towards dissolution with SHMP

For more information please visit www.dentalcare.ca

All rights reserved.  No part of this work may be reproduced in any form, or by any means whatsoever, without written permission from Transitions Consulting Group Inc.  If you would like further information about Transitions Group Inc.’s services please telephone 800-345-5157, email:  info@tgnadental.com.

 

Lisa Philp