Relationship Between Laryngopharyngeal Reflux, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, and Dental Erosion in Adult Populations: A Systematic Review

Objectives: As one of the most common complications of laryngopharyngeal reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease, dental erosion presents a significant association with laryngopharyngeal reflux. This study aimed to elucidate the role of laryngopharyngeal reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease on the severity and occurrence of dental erosion in adult populations.

Methods: A comprehensive search was performed in the databases of PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus for English literature published from July 1999 to June 2024. Peer-reviewed publications evaluating the relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease, laryngopharyngeal reflux, and dental erosion in adult populations were retrieved. Opensigle and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform database were used to search the potential gray literature. A manual search was also performed to uncover further relevant studies from the reference lists.

Results: The electronic literature search yielded 1382 studies, with 22 researches in line with the inclusion criteria. Results of included publications indicated a significantly higher prevalence of dental erosion in adult populations with gastroesophageal reflux disease or laryngopharyngeal reflux compared to healthy populations. Subjects with dental erosion demonstrate a greater prevalence of laryngopharyngeal reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease as well. The heterogeneity of the evaluation of clinical outcomes, diagnostic methods, and the definition of diseases need to be considered. Future studies should define reflux disease according to a universal guideline to better enhance treatment in adult populations.

Conclusion: Gastroesophageal reflux disease or laryngopharyngeal reflux presents a significant association with dental erosion in adult populations. Clinicians should emphasize timely detection and management of the underlying factors of dental erosion in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease.