Acidic diets can damage tooth enamel

Many of us have cut out much of the sugars, starches and candy that brought us generations of cavities, so our teeth should be safe as long as we floss and brush, right?

Not so fast.

Foods that may be healthier for our bodies may be eroding the enamel protection of our teeth. Many popular diet sodas and sport drinks, as well as many alcoholic drinks, have a lot of acid. So do lots of fruits and some veggies.

Dentists are noticing more enamel erosion these days not just because our diets have improved, but also because most of us floss, brush, swish and get more or less routine dental care that results in more and more people arriving at middle age and beyond with our own teeth.

Eventually, acid attacks on enamel wear the stuff down, leaving teeth more sensitive, cracked or cupped and discolored. Teeth generally take on a more rounded, sandblasted look as erosion takes place, and those with fillings might notice that the artificial material seems to be rising up out of a tooth surface that' s melted away, according to the Academy of General Dentistry.

Once enamel is lost, it can't be replaced.

"With more people consuming acidic foods and beverages, I'm seeing an increase in patients experiencing acid wear," said Dr. Lana Rozenberg, who runs a dental spa in New York City. "It's essential to take preventive steps."

According to the academy, people should consider cutting back on carbonated and fruity drinks in favor of water, milk, coffee or tea. If you drink an acidic drink, use a straw and try not to hold the drink in the mouth too long.

Among other tips:

-- Drink or rinse with water after consuming high-acid food or drink and wait at least an hour before brushing, which can exacerbate wear.

-- Chew sugar-free gum to produce more saliva, which helps teeth remineralize.

-- Brush with a soft toothbrush and use toothpaste high in fluoride and perhaps a product specially formulated to reduce tooth sensitivity.

Researchers are also finding strong links to dental care and other chronic health problems, particularly periodontal disease and heart disease.

A recent review of earlier studies by scientists at Howard University found that patients with periodontal disease who showed signs of increased bacterial exposure were more likely to develop heart disease or plaque formation in the arteries.

While there have been a number of studies that linked infection of gums and structures that support the teeth with heart disease, the new report, published in the Journal of Periodontology in December, is the most specific yet about how the connection is made.

Another study, this one at the University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston, found that women with breast tumors secrete particular proteins into their saliva that, at least theoretically, could be identified during a routine dental visit.

The research analyzed saliva from 30 women, 10 with breast cancer, and found 49 proteins that were different in the women with cancer than in the rest. The next step is to set up a simple -- and relatively cheap -- "lab on a chip" test that could be done in a dentist's office -- or even left in the mouth over time and checked periodically.

"Most folks visit the dental office way more often than they ever see a physician," said Dr. Charles Streckfus, a professor of diagnostic sciences at the University of Texas and lead author of the study, published in the journal Cancer Investigation.

Scientists said the protein diagnostic approach could well prove to be more sensitive than existing tools to detect breast cancer and perhaps other types of cancer, although a lot more studies will have to be done on more patients to confirm the first findings.

On the Net:

http://www.agd.org

www.perio.org

www.uth.tmc.edu

(Reach Lee Bowman at bowmanl(at)shns.com.)