To help protect your teeth against the effects of dietary acids, there are several steps that can be taken: Avoid brushing teeth immediately after consuming acidic food or drinks as this is when the enamel is at its softest. It is best to brush teeth before meals or wait at least 1 hour after eating before brushing teeth Drink acidic drinks quickly – don’t swish them around or hold them for prolonged periods within your mouth.

Giving your child acidic foods and drinks less often will help prevent erosion. Using a straw with drinks may also help to cut down the erosion. This allows the drink to go straight to the back of the mouth which avoids long-term contact with the teeth. It is important to remember prevention is better than cure.

When tooth enamel (the tooth’s hard surface) is exposed to acids (from food, drinks or the stomach e.g. due to sickness or regurgitation), it temporarily softens and loses some of its mineral content. Saliva will help neutralise acidity, restore the mouth’s natural balance and slowly re-harden the tooth enamel. However, because the tooth’s recovery process is slow, if the acid attack happens frequently, the tooth does not have a chance to repair.

Acidic foods and drinks such as fruit and fruit juices, particularly citric ones including lemon and orange, can be particularly harmful to teeth. Fruit juices and fruits contain natural acids, which can be just as harmful to teeth. Fizzy drinks are also a cause of enamel erosion. It is important to remember that even the diet brands are still as harmful. Even flavoured fizzy waters can have an effect if taken in large amounts, as they contain certain acids which can harm the teeth.

To help protect your teeth against the effects of dietary acids, there are several steps that can be taken: Avoid brushing teeth immediately after consuming acidic food or drinks, when the enamel is most soft. It is best to brush teeth before meals or wait at least 1 hour after eating before brushing teeth. Drink acidic drinks quickly -- don't swish them around in your mouth or hold them there for prolonged periods. Or consider using a straw placed toward the back of the mouth.

Two general methods are available to prevent your lakeshore from eroding: hard armoring and soft armoring. The most common hard-armor technique is riprap, which consists of placing large rocks in the water and up the slope of the eroding shoreline. Riprap is commonly used to control erosion along streambanks and lakeshores where vegetation is not sufficient to prevent erosion caused by high water or wave action. It is expensive to install and is often installed incorrectly.

When tooth enamel is exposed to acids (from food, drinks or the stomach), it temporarily softens and loses some of its mineral content. Saliva will help neutralise acidity, restore the mouth’s natural balance and slowly re-harden the tooth enamel. However, because the tooth’s recovery process is slow, if the acid attack happens frequently, the tooth does not have a chance to repair.

Milk teeth are very much at risk from acid erosion because they are less mineralised and therefore the enamel is softer than adult teeth to begin with. Therefore great care should be taken with the acidic content of a child’s diet.

In the 20th Century, dental diseases, for example tooth decay and gum disease, were widespread. This greatly affected the life span of teeth and meant that the majority did not retain their teeth for life. Improved oral hygiene and restorative treatments have extended the life span of teeth in the 21st Century. However, as teeth are lasting longer they are subject to the effects of wear, particularly from acids and tooth brushing for prolonged time periods.

Acidic foods and drinks such as citrus fruit juices and all fizzy drinks such as cola can be harmful if taken often in large amounts. Try to limit acidic food and drinks to meal times. It is also recommended that you do not brush your teeth for at least one hour after eating or drinking anything acidic, so that they can build up the mineral content again.

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is committed to improving oral health and well-being through unique and successful industry-professional partnerships, working with dental professionals in the front line of care in dental practice; with dental scientists in creating greater understanding of oral care needs and to develop new products; and with dental educators in developing the practitioners and leaders of tomorrow.

Diet, and the way that acidic food and drinks are consumed, is the most likely cause of acid erosion. However it can also result from stomach acids in the mouth, for example, as a consequence of bulimia (vomiting) or indigestion (regurgitation / gastric reflux). There are also instances - as a result of occupational or industrial exposure - where acid erosion has been brought about, for example, by prolonged inhalation of acidic fumes.

tooth enamel is worn away, the underlying dentine may be exposed. This is a softer part of the tooth and as it becomes exposed, teeth may be more sensitive. As nerve endings in the teeth are activated, a slight twinge can be felt when consuming hot, cold or sweet foods and drinks.

Experts agree that nearly everybody with natural teeth will develop some signs of acid erosion. Many will show the mild, early signs of acid erosion, however increasingly significant numbers of people are showing advanced signs. In October 2005, 91% of UK dentists reported seeing cases of acid erosion on a weekly basis.1 The number of people showing signs of acid erosion is rising due to the number of people keeping their natural teeth for longer, combined with the acidity in the modern diet.

Everyone with natural teeth should be considered at risk of acid erosion, which can affect all age groups and both sexes. A wide range of foods that could be associated with the modern diet are highly acidic, such as some fruit teas, wine and various fruits. This is not to say however that acidic food and drinks should be avoided.