The ADA News reports a new study has found that “dental patients struggle to recognize erosive tooth wear.” For the study, over 600 participants viewed “images of buccal surfaces of teeth that were sound or had erosive tooth wear or caries.” The researchers found that “participants had difficulty recognizing erosive tooth wear in general and compared to sound and carious teeth at each level of severity, and they were less likely to schedule a dental appointment for care or treatment of teeth with erosive wear than caries at each level as well.” In addition, participants “found erosive tooth wear more esthetically attractive than caries at each level of severity and initial erosive tooth wear more attractive than sound teeth.”
Erosion is a serious issue for teeth and their long term stability. Nearly every drink you can buy in a grocery store is mildly to severely erosive to the enamel of your teeth. Be cautious drinking these pre-prepared drinks, swishing with water often. Avoid brushing immediately after drinking one of these drinks, as your enamel is at its softest. Allow at least an hour for saliva to help remineralize enamel before brushing.