Your kid’s teeth are covered in a protective layer of tooth enamel. This helps prevent teeth from becoming infected and decayed so it’s important to protect this enamel. Even though tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the body, it’s still possible for it to become eroded away due to acid in the mouth. When this occurs, tooth enamel cannot repair itself as it doesn’t contain any living cells. Being aware of how this damage may happen can help you reduce this risk.
How Tooth Enamel Can Become Eroded
Some foods are naturally acidic and the acid will attack the tooth enamel, weakening and softening it. Other times a child may eat something that is very sweet or sticky and which encourages bacteria in the mouth to feed on the leftovers, producing acid as a side effect. There is a greater risk of tooth erosion if your child frequently snacks in between meals on these types of foods. Generally, it’s better to help them choose snacks that are healthy for teeth and which don’t contain any acid or sugar. Good examples include fresh vegetables, low sugar yogurts or preferably plain yogurt or cheese.
Acid Erosion: How to Reduce Risk
Allowing your child to drink a lot of soda or fruit juice will increase the risk of enamel erosion but if they do want to have a drink of this type, included as part of a main meal and get them to rinse their mouth with plain water after they have finished drinking it. It might also help to encourage your child to drink these types of beverages through a straw to minimize contact with their teeth. If you can, encourage them to eat whole fruit rather than to drink fruit juice. Even though the whole fruit is acidic, chewing it stimulates the flow of saliva in the mouth, helping to neutralize acid. If they do want to drink fruit juice, try at least to begin diluting it with plain water.
Don’t Brush Teeth Too Soon after a Meal
Some parents and caregivers think it’s a good idea to get their kid to brush their teeth immediately after a meal, particularly if the meal has included something very sweet and sticky. In fact it’s better to wait around 30 minutes before brushing, as immediately after eating the mouth is at its most acidic. Waiting a while enables the pH levels to return towards normal which has the effect of allowing the tooth enamel to re-harden slightly. If you brush too soon then you’ll be brushing softened tooth enamel which can be damaging to the teeth. Something that can help is to encourage your child to chew sugar-free chewing gum for just a few minutes after each meal. This stimulates the flow of saliva, reducing acidity levels.
As always, good dental care can help protect your child’s teeth. Make sure they visit us every six months for checkups so we can detect any small problems that may be developing. We can also access your child’s risk of enamel erosion and can offer more personalized advice.
