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Dental erosion is the dissolution of enamel and dentine caused by organic or inorganic acids.1 The source of acid is normally either dietary acids2 or regurgitation of stomach juice3 into the mouth. Enamel and dentine begin dissolution at a pH of approximately 5.5.4 In achalasia, bacterial fermentation of food produces lactic acid, with a minimum pH of approximately 3.5,5 which has the potential to demineralise teeth if it reaches the mouth. This study investigated whether regurgitated lactic acid fermented from food lying within an achalasic oesophagus causes dental erosion. The aim of the study was to measure the prevalence of dental erosion in patients referred for management of untreated achalasia and to compare the results with a control group.
Patients referred to the oesophageal laboratory from a variety of medical sources for …
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Conflict of interest: None declared.