Your stomach is just one big processing plant: Incoming food is broken down into individual nutrients that are then absorbed into the body. The main food "de-constructor" for this process is stomach acid, a powerful fluid comparable in strength to battery acid. All's well as long as it remains in the stomach—but should it escape, it can wreak havoc on other parts of the body, including teeth.

That's the reality for 1 in 5 Americans with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Also known as acid reflux, GERD occurs when the ring of muscle at the base of the esophagus—which ordinarily keeps stomach acid contained—weakens to allow it into the esophagus. It can then irritate the esophageal lining, giving rise to the burning sensation of indigestion.

The scenario changes, however, if acid continues up into the mouth. This puts tooth enamel at risk for erosion. The resulting high acidity is enough to dissolve the mineral content of enamel, which could jeopardize the survival of affected teeth.

If you've been diagnosed with GERD, your teeth could be in harm's way. In recognition of GERD Awareness Week (November 17-23), here's what you can do to protect them from this potentially damaging disease.

Manage your GERD symptoms. There are effective ways to control GERD and reduce the likelihood of acid in the mouth with antacids or medication. You can also lessen reflux symptoms by quitting smoking and avoiding alcohol, caffeine or acidic foods and beverages. Finishing meals at least three hours before bed or avoiding lying down right after eating can also lessen reflux episodes.

Boost saliva to neutralize acid. Saliva neutralizes acid and helps restore minerals to enamel. You can boost its production by drinking more water, using a saliva-boosting product or chewing xylitol-sweetened gum. You can also decrease mouth acidity by chewing an antacid tablet or rinsing your mouth after eating or after a reflux episode with water mixed with a little baking soda.

Use fluoride oral hygiene products. You can further protect your teeth from acid by using oral hygiene products with fluoride, a chemical compound proven to strengthen enamel. If needed, we can also apply stronger fluoride solutions directly to the teeth or prescribe special mouthrinses with extra fluoride.

If you've been dealing with GERD symptoms, visit us for an exam to check for any adverse dental effects. The sooner we treat GERD-related enamel erosion, the better the outcome for your teeth.

If you would like more information on protecting your dental health from acid reflux, please contact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “GERD and Oral Health.”

Breathing: You hardly notice it unless you're consciously focused on it—or something's stopping it!

So, take a few seconds and pay attention to your breathing. Then ask yourself this question—are you breathing through your nose, or through your mouth? Unless we're exerting ourselves or have a nasal obstruction, we normally breathe through the nose. This is as nature intended it: The nasal passages act as a filter to remove allergens and other fine particles.

Some people, though, tend to breathe primarily through their mouths even when they're at rest or asleep. And for children, not only do they lose out on the filtering benefit of breathing through the nose, mouth breathing could affect their dental development.

People tend to breathe through their mouths if it's become uncomfortable to breathe through their noses, often because of swollen tonsils or adenoids pressing against the nasal cavity or chronic sinus congestion. Children born with a small band of tissue called a tongue or lip tie can also have difficulty closing the lips or keeping the tongue on the roof of the mouth, both of which encourage mouth breathing.

Chronic mouth breathing can also disrupt children's jaw development. The tongue normally rests against the roof of the mouth while breathing through the nose, which allows it to serve as a mold for the growing upper jaw and teeth to form around. Because the tongue can't be in this position during mouth breathing, it can disrupt normal jaw development and lead to a poor bite.

If you suspect your child chronically breathes through his or her mouth, your dentist may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist to check for obstructions. In some cases, surgical procedures to remove the tonsils or adenoids may be necessary.

If there already appears to be problems brewing with the bite, your child may need orthodontic treatment. One example would be a palatal expander, a device that fits below the palate to put pressure on the upper jaw to grow outwardly if it appears to be developing too narrowly.

The main focus, though, is to treat or remove whatever may be causing this tendency to breathe through the mouth. Doing so will help improve a child's ongoing dental development.

If you would like more information on treating chronic mouth breathing, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “The Trouble With Mouth Breathing.”

Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara had a rough Stanley Cup final against the St. Louis Blues this past June. Not only did the Bruins ultimately lose the championship, but Chara took a deflected puck shot to the face in Game Four that broke his jaw.

With the NHL season now over, the 42-year-old Bruins captain continues to mend from his injury that required extensive treatment. His experience highlights how jaw fractures and related dental damage are an unfortunate hazard in hockey—not only for pros like Chara, but also for an estimated half million U.S. amateurs, many in youth leagues.

Ice hockey isn't the only sport with this injury potential: Basketball, football (now gearing up with summer training) and even baseball players are also at risk. That's why appropriate protective gear like helmets and face shields are key to preventing injury.

For any contact sport, that protection should also include a mouthguard to absorb hard contact forces that could damage the mouth, teeth and gums. The best guards (and the most comfortable fit) are custom-made by a dentist based on impressions made of the individual's mouth.

But even with adequate protection, an injury can still happen. Here's what you should do if your child has an injury to their jaw, mouth or teeth.

Recognize signs of a broken jaw. A broken jaw can result in severe pain, swelling, difficulty speaking, numbness in the chin or lower lip or the teeth not seeming to fit together properly. You may also notice bleeding in the mouth, as well as bruising under the tongue or a cut in the ear canal resulting from jawbone movement during the fracture. Get immediate medical attention if you notice any of these signs.

Take quick action for a knocked-out tooth. A tooth knocked completely out of its socket is a severe dental injury. But you may be able to ultimately save the tooth by promptly taking the following steps: (1) find the tooth and pick it up without touching the root end, (2) rinse it off, (3) place it back in its socket with firm pressure, and (4) see a dentist as soon as possible.

Seek dental care. Besides the injuries already mentioned, you should also see a dentist for any moderate to severe trauma to the mouth, teeth and gums. Leading the list: any injury that results in tooth chipping, looseness or movement out of alignment.

Even a top athlete like Zdeno Chara isn't immune to injury. Take steps then to protect your amateur athlete from a dental or facial injury.

If you would like more information about dealing with sports-related dental injuries, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Athletic Mouthguards” and “The Field-Side Guide to Dental Injuries.”