Q A child i know had meningitis as a baby. He has had several operations for growth plates in his legs. Hes now been diagnosed with acid erosion of the teeth. Can meningitis cause acid erosion in teeth?
When tooth enamel is exposed to acids (from food, beverages or the stomach), it temporarily softens and loses some of its mineral content. Normally, saliva can reverse this damage. However, because the tooths recovery process is slow, if the acid attack happens frequently, the tooth enamel does not have the chance to repair thus ultimately leading to acid erosion. Several fruits, wine and fruit teas are the usual responsible factors. Thus, it is clear that meningitis is totally unrelated to acid erosion of teeth.