At Smiles by Julia, Our Family Dentistry Services Should Be Part of Your Acid Reflux Treatment Plan

If you have acid reflux, Smiles by Julia and our family dentistry services can help protect your teeth.  Millions of adults suffer from this condition, but very few realize how important it is to include a dental professional in their treatment plan.  Acid reflux can make it uncomfortable to eat and sleep, but it can also lead to a condition called acid-induced erosion.  This is where the acid coming up from your stomach starts to break down the enamel on your teeth.  This causes the tooth structure to erode and as it does teeth can become sensitive and susceptible to breakage.In order to combat this condition, we can do certain things to strengthen your teeth.  For example, a fluoride treatment may be used to strengthen the enamel. Bonding can also assist with this process.  In more serious cases, dental crowns may be necessary to protect teeth or to restore ones that have already suffered erosion due to reflux.  A dental crown surrounds the tooth so once placed; the tooth structure will no longer be directly touched by the acid. The type of procedure, that you need, will be based on the current condition of your teeth along with the severity of your acid reflux condition.At Smiles by Julia, we recommend exercising extreme caution after an acid reflux episode. What you do immediately afterwards can impact your teeth.  While it may seem like a good idea to brush your teeth and remove the acid – don’t do it.  Brushing your teeth can cause further damage, so we recommend rinsing your mouth with water instead and waiting an hour before brushing. When you do, use a soft toothbrush and toothpaste with fluoride in it to protect and strengthen your teeth. Immediately after an attack you can also use an antacid in order to feel better. Some people say that drinking milk helps but milk can also cause an attack, so this is a very personal decision. If the lactose in dairy bothers you, try drinking an alternative like soy or almond milk.You should also be careful about what you eat.  Don’t eat anything that is acidic like lemons, limes and oranges. This applies to beverages as well.  You can also reduce the amount of acid in your stomach by not eating foods that are high in fat content or spice.  Diary products and chocolate have also been known to increase the acid content in your stomach. Pay attention to how you feel after eating certain foods.  Adjust your diet until you have found foods that don’t trigger acid reflux.Make sure to visit Smiles by Julia throughout the year if your acid reflux is being particularly problematic.  The more often you have an episode of reflux, the more often you need to visit our office.  We will help by cleaning your teeth and removing harmful plaque and bacteria.  This way your teeth will be strong and healthy, and able to withstand the acid attacks.  If it is looking like the acid is winning, we may recommend wearing dental crowns as a precautionary measure.

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