Risk factors for dental erosions:
(1) eating citrus fruits 3 or more times a day
(2) soft drinks drunk daily
(3) apple vinegar used weekly or more often
(4) sports drinks drunk weekly or more often
(5) vomiting weekly or more often
(6) presence of gastric symptoms (such as sour taste, heartburn, belching, stomach ache, etc.)
(7) low unstimulated salivary flow (< 0.1 mL/min)
Additional factors identified (page 942):
(1) frequent use of vitamin C as an effervescent preparation or chewable tablet.
(2) frequent use of iron tonics
(3) frequent occupational exposure to acids
where:
• The type of soft drink (sweetened vs diet, cola vs noncola) was not specified. The presence of carbonic and/or citric acid in soft drinks and sports drinks are the main erosive elements.
• I will use "evidence of GERD" in the implementation rather than the presence of gastric symptoms (GERD = gastroesophageal reflux disease).
• The authors mention that Linkosalo and Markkanen (Scand J Dent Res. 1985; 93: 436-441) reported that eating pickles frequently was associated with dental erosions.
