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Message: A recent web article titled: Acid Erosion In Children’s Teeth Growing Concern Among Dentists discusses some reasons for acid erosion in children’s teeth, but doesn’t discuss all the issues. The article primarily discusses the child’s diet, specifically avoiding acidic foods and to use Sensodyne’s ProEnamel toothpaste that is designed to reinforce the enamel with a topical fluoride and acid neutralizers. While this product is helpful along side diet modification, another issue to consider is Gastric Reflux(GERD) which is a very common condition during infancy and often occurs in older children as well. It is common to see “Islands of Wear"(example photos are seen below) on the tops of the molar teeth. While there really isn’t a definitive answer to the cause of these eroded areas, it has been hypothesized that GERD is responsible for these holes in the enamel. These holes in the enamel occur because the acid is allowed to pool on the surfaces of the teeth eroding the enamel, which is why it normally occurs on the top of the lower teeth and the inside of the upper teeth. The location and shape of the eroded areas is often indicative of it’s etiology. A physician reviewed article Reflux in Children discusses symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of GERD in children. Many times GERD in children is a transient condition that comes and goes and sometimes occurs once and never returns. It is often diagnosed because of the evidence of tooth wear. Yes, Sensodyne ProEnamel is a great product to help prevent the destruction of tooth enamel, but the bigger picture might be treating the actual cause of the acid in the first place. http://www.sandquistdds.com/index.php/dental/smilebytes/acid_erosion_teeth_in_children/
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