Did you know that acid reflux which can cause heartburn can also damage your teeth? While the connection may seem a little weird, it isn’t. Here we discuss how acid reflux can gradually cause tooth trouble and how you can protect your teeth for longer.
What Is Acid Reflux?
Your stomach produces acid each time you start feeling hungry. It’s an indication of hunger. However, sometimes this acid starts traveling upward to the esophagus. This results in pain in the chest, a condition commonly known as heartburn.
Now, the same acid can also cause the wear-off of tooth enamel. The enamel on your teeth is extremely strong and protects the teeth against extreme temperatures, acids, and chemicals. However, it’s also vulnerable to regular wearing over time, which can then open options for cavities or decay.
How to Protect Teeth Against Acid Reflux?
The good news is that enamel corrosion by acid reflux can be treated and prevented. Your dentist in Glendale can help. Most importantly, your dentist might be the first person to come to know of acid reflux. Therefore, it’s important to visit the Glendale dental clinic at the earliest at any sign of dental trouble.
Here are some common tips to follow for preventing tooth damage from acid reflux:
- Follow good oral hygiene habits – Proper dental care is the foremost step to preventing acid reflux damage to your teeth. Brush and floss every day. Besides that, mark your calendar for a visit to the Glendale dentist every six months.
- Take care of your diet – Your dentist at Glendale may also recommend certain simple guidelines for keeping acid reflux under control. You may want to consult a gastroenterology expert for this. They may advise you on measures to avoid acid reflux from getting into the teeth. These may include weight loss, avoiding highly acidic foods, eating smaller meals, and sleeping well. Most important, remember to avoid lying down immediately after a meal. This would help prevent the formation of acid reflux. Besides, reduce the intake of sodas, citrus fruits, and juices.
- Use a straw – If you find it difficult to resist sodas, worry not. You can always use a straw to sip your favorite beverage because it’d generally bypass the teeth.
- Avoid brushing as soon as you eat acidic – Even though brushing twice is advisable at Glendale for acid reflux treatment, don’t do it soon after an acidic meal. This is because acidic food generally tends to make the enamel tender. Brushing hard against soft enamel surfaces may result in corrosion. You may wait for about an hour and then brush.
- Rinse your mouth well – Mouth rinsing after meals is extremely important. However, its importance has been underplayed and a lot of people often forget this simple practice. It’s great at cleaning off any after-effects of acid reflux on the teeth.
- Take lots of water –The dentist in Glendale strongly recommends keeping yourself well hydrated at all times. A dry mouth is often associated with acid reflux problems.
Choose Smile Makeover of LA for All Your Dental Needs
You may follow these simple tips at home; however, there may still be tooth damage because of acid reflux. In this case, don’t avoid or delay going to the dentist at Glendale clinic at the earliest.
To schedule an appointment at the Glendale dental clinic for tooth damage due to acid reflux, contact Dr. Sahakyan at 818-578-2324. The expert team of dentists in the Glendale office would love to discuss all your concerns and help you address your dental issues in the best way possible.