Acid Reflux: How Your Dentist Can Help You Control Effects on Your Oral Health

Acid Reflux: How Your Dentist Can Help You Control Effects on Your Oral Health

Most people have experienced a bit of heartburn at some point. For some, though, heartburn occurs more than just occasionally—how about more like two or three times a week? Does that sound familiar?

When heartburn occurs so commonly, that’s a sign of a condition called acid reflux disease. Other symptoms of acid reflux disease include:

·         Regurgitation

·         Bloating or burping

·         Narrowing of the esophagus

·         Hiccups

·         Nausea

·         Black/bloody stools or bloody vomiting

·         Weight loss

·         Wheezing, hoarseness, sore throat, or dry cough

But did you know acid reflux disease can also have an effect on your oral health? That’s because of how acid reflux works.

When a patient experiences acid reflux, acid from the stomach ends up in the esophagus. If this acid comes into contact with a patient’s teeth, it can begin to dissolve the protective layer of enamel on the outside them. This becomes a bigger problem as the sensitive layer of dentin underneath is exposed.

Signs that acid may have damaged your teeth include:

·         Sensitivity, especially to foods that are hot, cold, or sweet

·         Teeth that have thinned or shortened

·         Pain or irritation

·         Teeth with sharp edges

If you’ve experienced any of these, call Dr. Wade’s Frisco dental office. She offers effective general and restorative options to treat teeth harmed by acid. Patients who know they have a problem with acid reflux can use antacids and other over-the-counter medicines to treat symptoms and control acid.

Call us today for an appointment. Dr. Wade serves patients from Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen, Dallas, Prosper, and The Colony.