Dentists such as those at Small Smiles dental centers and other caregivers who regularly treat children are aware that a variety of factors can impact a child's dental health. It is also important for parents to be familiar with health issues that could impact their children.
News today from the University of California says that children who have symptoms of chronic acid reflux are significantly more likely to have dental erosions than those without reflux symptoms, according to a new study.
The study, which is the first to examine the relationship between acid reflux and dental health in pediatric patients, was presented today, May 4, 2009, at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Baltimore, Md.
The research is also among the first to find a conclusive link between chronic acid reflux and dental erosions in any age group, as previous studies have produced inconsistent results, according to Melvin Heyman, MD, chief of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at UC San Francisco's Children’s Hospital and the study’s senior author.
“These findings demonstrate that we really need to start looking for dental erosions in pediatric patients with chronic acid reflux and integrate proper dental care into their treatment regimens,” Heyman said.
Small Smiles dental clinics recommend that parents talk to their child's dentist about a variety of health issues to help safeguard lifelong dental health.
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