Survey reveals alarming rate of dental erosion

Prashan Limbu

A recent survey conducted by the Society of Preventive Dentistry of Hong Kong has uncovered an alarming rate of dental erosion among residents, with over 90 percent of participants showing symptoms, yet many remain unaware of the condition and its causes.

The survey results from the Society of Preventive Dentistry of Hong Kong indicate that a significant majority of respondents, over 90 percent, exhibit at least one symptom of dental erosion. These symptoms include teeth becoming smaller, yellowing and thinning at the edges.

Despite these high incidence rates, awareness and understanding of dental erosion are lacking. Only 60 percent of those surveyed have heard of dental erosion, 30 percent cannot identify the symptoms, and about a quarter are either unsure or mistakenly believe that dental erosion is the same as tooth decay.

The society conducted this online survey last month, interviewing over 1,400 people. It found that the average duration for experiencing symptoms of dental erosion among the respondents is approximately five years.

In an interesting revelation, 45 percent of respondents indicated that they habitually replace sweet beverages with sour ones, such as substituting sugary drinks with lemon water.

However, Professor Chu Chun-hung from the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Dentistry warns that frequent consumption of acidic drinks and foods can lead to dental erosion. He explained that many acidic drinks contain added sugar, which masks the acidic taste and can deceive consumers into unknowingly exacerbating their risk of dental erosion.