Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Tooth Erosion: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is common in children. Recurrent exposure to gastric acid in GERD may contribute to tooth erosion. METHODS In this prospective study, 54 GERD patients qualified according to endoscopy, pH-metry, and the GERD questionnaire and 58 healthy controls qualified by the GERD questionnaire were assessed. Two groups underwent dental evaluations for the presence, severity, and patterns of erosion and for the stage of dentition using a Tooth Wear Index. The health care providers who performed the dental exams did not know which children had been diagnosed with GERD. RESULTS A total of 112 children, 3 to 12 years old were enrolled in the study, and 53 of 54 (98.1%) GERD patients and 11 of 58 (19.0%) controls had dental erosions (p<0.0001). In GERD patients, the posterior occlusal surfaces of milk teeth were more affected (p<0.0001). There was no correlation between GERD and the affected surfaces in permanent teeth, nor in the patterns or erosion grades (localized or general). In both groups, milk teeth had more erosions than permanent teeth, but the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS According to this study, there is a positive correlation between GERD and dental erosion. Posterior occlusal surface erosions in milk teeth could indicate GERD.