Prevention and control of dental erosion: Dietary management

This chapter deals with dietary management to prevent the development of dental erosion in an individual. It discussed the advice that a dental practitioner or health professional should provide to the patient following the confirmation of dietary factors as the cause of the patient's erosive tooth wear. Examples of patient assessment forms such as a Food Frequency form and a 3-day dietary recall form are provided. A method of analysis of food consumption was addressed. A case study is included along with recommendations for changing the dietary components to address the issues. Patient education material is provided to determine extrinsic sources of acids i.e., food, drink, and supplements. Diet counseling is given after a thorough assessment of the diet and is tailored to the individual, emphasizing the positive aspects. Acidic foods and drinks should be taken only at mealtimes. Finish the meal with something to neutralize acid, like cheese or milk. As salivary flow is almost nil at night, advise the patient to avoid acidic food and drink especially before going to bed. Advise that toothbrushing should be done either before a meal or be delayed at 60 min.