I chose this topic this week because I seem to be seeing a lot of television ads about enamel erosion. I wanted to look into it a little further so that I could check the facts on these ads and also try to find out if I can prevent my own erosion. I do have sensitive teeth which is one of the symptoms.
Here are a couple of facts:
- Enamel is said to be the strongest substance in our bodies.
- Enamel is what protects the less dense dentin and other parts of the tooth.
My question is: Why does it appear to be able to erode so easily if it’s so durable? Acids in the mouth consistently erode away at this hard substance. Are we eroding it away so quickly because of the diets we have? That appears to be much of the problem. Any acidic foods such as orange juice, sour candy and sodas facilitate the erosion process. Any foods that produce acid like those with sugar do the trick as well. There are a number of medical conditions that can also help with a faster process of erosion such as dry mouth, acid reflux, bulimia and alcoholism.
So what can we do to prevent it? Research says that we should mitigate the acid in our mouths once these foods are consumed. The first thing is to not eat those foods – Duh! One interesting suggestion is to drink a glass of milk or eat a piece of cheese after eating your meal. Others are:
So what can we do to prevent it? Research says that we should mitigate the acid in our mouths once these foods are consumed. The first thing is to not eat those foods – Duh! One interesting suggestion is to drink a glass of milk or eat a piece of cheese after eating your meal. Others are:- Drink water throughout the day to rinse any acids off;
- Use a very soft toothbrush. Overly vigorous brushing can create weak spots which allow acid to seep onto the dentin;
- Use a straw to drink the junk drinks that you must consume. The straw helps to bypass the teeth a little;
- Brush your teeth after you eat acidic foods, but wait an hour. The acid softens the enamel, so by waiting, it will harden up a bit so you don’t scrub more of it away;
- Chew sugar-free gum with xylitol; and
- Floss regularly, but do not use a toothpick. You could chip away the enamel with any hard object such as opening packages or bottles or chewing ice or seeds.
Once the enamel is gone, it does not grow back. So even if you chip your tooth, there’s no going back. When we erode away this protective covering, there is no way to get it back, regardless of what new and exciting products are now on the market. By rinsing with a fluoride rinse, you can strengthen the dentin inside the tooth if there is a way in. The only other way to restore your teeth’s strength is to have your dentist bond them or put a crown over the tooth. Modern dentistry has certainly provided better looking restorations. I’m sure we all know an elderly person with off color or strange looking tooth coverings!
So, in conclusion, I think the best and most practical solution is to mostly avoid the acidic foods if we can. For me, the easiest solution I can do is to drink more water throughout the day and to chew a piece of gum after my meals since that provides more than one benefit to my breath and my teeth. You can read about these benefits in one of our previous blog posts!
How are you going to prevent enamel erosion?
Remember to have your teeth cleaned twice a year!
by Jenny Bickford-jessie
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