If you were asked to name the hardest substance in the human body, you might think it is your skull or other bones, but it is tooth enamel. Your tooth enamel consists of calcium and phosphate and is a crystalline structure that is extremely hard and resilient to damage. Unfortunately, even though enamel is tough, it can still become damaged due to general wear and tear or making certain food and beverage choices. Once damaged, tooth enamel cannot regenerate, leaving the tooth structure underneath unprotected unless you receive expert dental care to repair the tooth enamel in Bowmanville.
How Can Tooth Enamel Become Damaged?
Most people know that eating sugary foods causes cavities. This is because these foods feed bacteria in the mouth that produce acids. The acids weaken tooth enamel, causing acid erosion over time. Candies can be very damaging to tooth enamel, especially sour candies that are already highly acidic. Enamel erosion can occur due to eating highly acidic foods like citrus fruits and tomatoes.
Certain beverages are also bad for tooth enamel, including fizzy pop, and diet soda is no better as the carbonization increases acidity levels. Diet soda tends to contain certain acids to enhance flavour. Other culprits include dried fruits and starchy foods like chips, pastries and cookies.
You might notice some of these foods are considered healthy, particularly citrus fruits that are packed with fibre and vitamin C. Rather than cut out these foods completely, ensure you eat them as part of a main meal, and enjoy the whole fruit rather than fruit juice that has beneficial fibre removed. After eating, rinse your mouth with water and try to finish a meal with calcium-rich dairy foods like cheese or plain yogurt.
Tooth enamel can also be damaged due to oral habits like teeth grinding and clenching, called bruxism in Newcastle. Bruxism tends to be a nocturnal habit, and people with this condition will often awaken with headaches, an aching jaw and sore facial muscles.
As you age, tooth enamel gradually thins after years of acid exposure.
How to Tell if Tooth Enamel is Damaged?
When tooth enamel is damaged or becomes thinner, you might notice your teeth look yellower than before. This is due to more of the natural tooth colour in the dentin just underneath tooth enamel shining through. Dentin is darker and can be a variety of shades ranging from yellow to brown to gray.
As tooth enamel thins, sensations of hot, cold, sweet, and sour can more easily penetrate the enamel and reach the tooth nerve at its centre. This can cause tooth sensitivity ranging from mild discomfort to more substantial pain.
If you have bruxism, your teeth could start to look substantially worn. They might look shorter than before and may start to feel loose.
How is Tooth Enamel Mended?
Although tooth enamel cannot regenerate, our dentists at West Bowmanville Family Dental care provide various treatments to mend damaged enamel and protect and restore teeth in Clarington.
If the damage is relatively minor, professional fluoride applications in Clarington can help strengthen tooth enamel and reharden it. We can also recommend fluoride products to use at home, if necessary, and discuss a suitable oral care routine to protect tooth enamel.
Dental bonding uses tooth-coloured composite resin to mend damaged teeth. Treatment is quick and affordable, and composite resin is very durable. Otherwise, if teeth are significantly damaged, we might suggest covering them entirely with dental crowns made from strong ceramic materials.
Bruxism can be treated with a custom-made night splint to prevent teeth from contacting during sleep. We may also recommend other therapeutic treatments to relieve any problems affecting the jaw joints that can become inflamed and painful with bruxism in Courtice.
