Health conditions in other parts of the body can impact your oral health in significant ways.
What is GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease)?
This is a chronic disease that occurs when stomach acid gets a wrong direction and flows up into the esophagus (a tube that connects stomach with the mouth), the throat and even into the mouth. Acid reflux and heartburn more than twice a week may indicate GERD.
Normally, the ring of muscles at the top of the stomach is strong and prevents acids from leaking. However, if the sphincter is not working properly, the acid can move up causing erosion on the walls of your esophagus, your mouth, gums, and teeth. This medical condition affects approximately every fifth adult in US.
GERD symptoms include heartburn, or burning sensation in the chest, nausea after eating, coughing, and buildup of mucus, sore throat, hiccups, and change in the voice. Acid reflux can also cause dry mouth.
While many people may be aware they are experiencing acid reflux through all these symptoms, not everyone experiences them (“clinically silent reflux”), and your dentist may be the first to notice it during routine oral exam.
Yet over time, untreated GERD can damage the lining of the esophagus, causing ulcers and even cancer. Repeated acid reflux can eat away your teeth and damage the gums
How Stomach Acid Affects Your Teeth
On the pH scale, which measures acidity, a normal, healthy pH is around 7.0 (the same as pure water). A more acidic pH of 5.5 or lower begins to dissolve tooth enamel ( the tooth protective layer). Stomach acid measures pH of 2.0. That is strong enough to break down food, and is also capable of causing serious dental damage.
Unfortunately, you may not notice how acids affect your oral health until severe damage has been done. Teeth can become thin, sharp, chipped, pitted, yellow and sensitive. This high acidity saliva can also damage the surrounding tissues of the mouth, and is linked to periodontal (gum) disease
Symptoms to watch out:
· Teeth develop a yellow discoloration
· General increase of the teeth sensitivity
· Developing more than usual cavities
· Teeth becoming shorter and sharper
· Unexplained gum and periodontal disease in presence of good oral hygiene.
Protecting Your Teeth
Some of the ways your dentist can help protecting your teeth from the effects of acid reflux.
- Professionally administered re-mineralizing treatments, including varnishes, rinses, or gel. This is usually done in the dental office.
- Prescribed oral rinses, gels and high-fluoride toothpastes for home use. If you have concerns about fluoride, toothpastes that contain ACP (amorphous calcium phosphate) can also be beneficial in preventing erosion.
- Recommend mouth rinse, which can effectively neutralize stomach acid.
- Fabricate bonded restorations such as veneers or crowns to restore and protect eroded teeth.
Some of the ways you can help your teeth and control GERD
- To stimulate saliva production, chew sugar-free xylitol gum. Saliva helps neutralize acid and contains Calcium and other minerals that help build the tooth surface.
- Refrain from brushing your teeth right after an acid reflux episode. Instead, rinse your mouth out with water. To neutralize the acid, mix half a teaspoon of baking soda into a cup of water and rinse, or chew on a sugar-free antacid tablet.
- If you suffer from xerostomia (dry mouth), use a saliva substitute or chew green tea gum, which can increase saliva flow and reduce acidity in the mouth.
Lifestyle changes can also be helpful in controlling the uncomfortable symptoms of GERD. These include: reduce alcohol and tobacco, spicy food, caffeine and acidic beverages. Try to finish last meal three hours before bedtime and avoid lying down right after eating. There are prescription (or over-the-counter) medications for controlling this condition.
See a doctor because GERD can also be caused by various medical problems, including pregnancy, diabetes, and fast weight gain.