Could You be Suffering From Tooth Wear?

New research has revealed the widespread prevalence of tooth wear and dentine hypersensitivity in young adults. In the ESCARCEL study 29.4% of the young adult population were found to suffer from mild tooth wear and 41.9% suffered from dentine hypersensitivity. The study was across seven European countries and followed the dental health of over three thousand young adults.

Tooth wear can be caused by

• Acid erosion from diets rich in acidic foods: carbonated drinks, fruits, juices and tea
• Erosion by stomach acid regurgitation (gastric reflux)
• Abrasion by incorrect toothbrushing
• Attrition by grinding or clenching the teeth (bruxism)

Some tooth wear is inevitable as we get older, but if you notice your teeth appearing chipped or flattened along the edges, or experience increasing tooth sensitivity you may be one of the 30-40% of the poulation at risk.

If you think you might be suffering from this condition please ask your dentist for advice, the first step is to identify and remove the cause and the second is to restore the damaged teeth.