MedWire News: People with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease face a significantly increased risk of suffering from dental problems, particularly tooth erosion, study results suggest.

The findings indicate the importance of regular dental checks for all patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, say the authors of the study.

Previous research has indicated that patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease are more likely to suffer tooth erosion than other people, possibly due to digestive acid from the stomach 'escaping' up the foodpipe and into the mouth, explain Dr Fabio Pace, from the University of Milan in Italy, and colleagues.

But they add that the extent of the problem is not known.

To address this, the team examined the results of 17 studies that assessed the prevalence of dental erosion in more than 600 patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and vice versa.

Overall, 24% of patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease had evidence of tooth erosion and 33% of dental patients with tooth erosion had symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

These rates are much higher than those found in the general population, say the researchers.

Furthermore, the extent of exposure to stomach acid in the foodpipe and mouth was directly related to the severity of tooth erosion.

Writing in an advance online publication by the journal Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Dr Pace and team conclude: "This systematic review shows that there is a strong association between gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and dental erosion."

They add: "The inspection of the oral cavity in search for dental erosions should become a routine manoeuvre in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease."