A Randomised clinical trial to determine the abrasive effect of the tongue on human enamel loss with and without a prior erosive challenge

Conclusions When enamel was exposed to orange juice prior to licking, tissue loss as a result of tongue abrasion of the eroded surface was increased, and double that of the erosive challenge alone. Licking enamel with the tongue had no perceptible effect on enamel loss in the absence of the erosive challenge. Clinical Significance Enamel wear resulting from tongue abrasion on tooth surfaces softened by acid challenge, can be an unavoidable consequence of oral function. This may account for the pattern of erosive toothwear on palatal and occlusal tooth surfaces, reinforcing the importance of restricting the frequency of dietary acid challenge in susceptible individuals.
Source: Journal of Dentistry - Category: Dentistry Source Type: research