Summer barbecues. Pre-game tailgating. These are things that most guys thoroughly enjoy.
Why? Because all of these things involve food – lots of food. Let’s face it, football fans aren’t exactly the skinniest demographic. Hot dogs, chicken wings and burgers are standard fare.
Weight aside, what happens when you eat more than average amounts of food? More than average amounts of stomach acids are produced. For someone suffering with acid reflux, eating too much (especially acidic foods) can intensify the condition. In addition, the damage that stomach acids reap on your teeth can be catastrophic. The juices in your stomach have an extremely low pH which wears away at the higher natural pH of your enamel. When the enamel is worn down and the inner, sensitive part of the tooth is exposed, your whole mouth is opened up to unhealthy possibilities such as tooth decay, tooth sensitivity and chipping or breaking.
While choosing the right types and amounts of food to eat is your job – identifying early signs of acidic tooth damage is Dental Health and Wellness Boston’s job. Request a free consultation so Dr. Jill B. Smith, DMD and her skilled professional staff can see if acid reflux is affecting your teeth. We’ll map out a plan of attack and collaborate with your physician to try and stop the flow of stomach acid. We have homecare strategies and remineralizing dental products that can slow the effects of acid on your teeth. If the damage has already been done, certain procedures such as dental crowns might be right for putting a healthy smile back on your face.
With summer coming up, the last thing we want you to do is worry about what picnics and barbecues are doing to your smile. So pick up that hotdog, and dig into those chicken wings – just remember to come in for regular checkups and let us know if you have experienced any acid reflux-related symptoms.
