Investigation of the effect of gastroesophageal reflux disease on dental erosion and oral tissue alterations

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and dental erosion and the alterations in oral tissues. Materials and Methods: In this study, the GERD group consisted of 50 individuals with gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, and the control group consisted of 50 healthy individuals. The prevalence of teeth wears and caries was evaluated using the Smith and Knight tooth wear index (TWI) and the decayed, missing, and filled teeth index (DMFT), respectively. Oral complaints were also evaluated. Stimulated saliva samples were collected, and the salivary buffering capacity, pH and flow rate values were measured. Results: In the GERD group, wear was observed in the palatal surface of the maxillary teeth, whereas no wear was observed in the control group (p