Collaborate with the supervising dentist on the management of dental erosion for the high risk patient. Educate the patient concerning their risk for dental erosion and preventive measures. Erosion Definition Irreversible loss of dental hard tissue due to a chemical process without known bacterial involvement. Erosion Etiology Acidic substances, either of intrinsic or extrinsic in origin, can cause dental erosion. Intrinsic factors that cause oral exposure to acidic substances can involve certain medical or oral conditions.
Extrinsic factors can involve certain occupational or dietary factors.
If these risks are present, the patient's chart entries and dental hygiene treatment plan must reflect this risk. The dental hygienist then can collaborate with the supervising dentist on the management for patients at risk for dental erosion. Occupational History A patient's occupational history can point to many factors that can lead to an increased risk of tooth erosion. Over time, the lingual surfaces of the teeth, particularly the maxillary anterior teeth, may exhibit severe erosion, with complete loss of enamel through dissolution by gastric hydrochloric acid. There is also moderate erosion on the labial surfaces of incisor teeth and slight erosion of the occlusal surface of posterior teeth, with raised restorations.