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Tooth wear management and diagnosis

BDJ Student volume 27, pages 48–50 (2020)Cite this article

Niamh Kelly on the increasing prevalence and what this means for dental students.

Non-carious tooth surface loss is an increasing problem facing Foundation and young dentists in general dental practice. The latest adult dental health survey suggests that the prevalence of tooth wear is increasing, with 77% of adults being diagnosed with tooth wear.1 It highlighted that moderate and severe tooth wear has increased, with the greatest increases in young adults. Research suggests that 44% of 15-year-olds have tooth wear present on the palatal surfaces of the maxillary incisors.2 The increase in tooth wear has been linked to the ageing population retaining their dentition for longer and the increase in acidic foods and drinks consumed by younger generations.3 Treatment of tooth wear can be complex, due to NHS fees and time constraints, many GDPs can find it challenging to treatment plan and manage tooth wear in general dental practice.

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  1. School of Dentistry, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, UK

    Niamh Kelly

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  1. Niamh Kelly
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Correspondence to Niamh Kelly.

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Kelly, N. Tooth wear management and diagnosis. BDJ Student 27, 48–50 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-020-0114-1

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