Enamel can repair itself using minerals from saliva and fluoride from toothpaste or other sources. However, if the tooth decay process continues, more minerals are lost. Over time, the enamel weakens and is destroyed, forming a cavity. A tooth decay is permanent damage that the dentist must repair with a filling.
Once tooth enamel has been damaged, there is no way to reverse the effects of tooth enamel erosion. We offer services such as dental bonding, dental veneers and dental crowns to help treat damaged tooth enamel. First of all, two levels of deterioration must be taken into account. Tooth decay is only reversible when it affects tooth enamel.
Once cavities progress to the dentin below the enamel, they are irreversible. Once tooth enamel is damaged, it cannot be recovered. However, weakened enamel can be restored to some extent by improving its mineral content. Although toothpastes and mouthwashes can never “rebuild” teeth, they can contribute to this remineralization process.
Tooth enamel protects our teeth against acids, sugars, and other substances that can cause tooth decay and other dental problems.
However, enamel erosion can happen for a variety of reasons and is not always preventable.
The primary culprit is highly acidic foods and drinks such as citrus fruits, sodas, and sour gummies. Other causes include reduced saliva production, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), and some medical conditions, like chronic alcoholism or bulimia.
1. Avoid Highly Acidic Foods and Drinks
When you eat or drink foods and beverages with acid, the enamel on your teeth can wear away. This process is called enamel erosion, and it can cause a range of dental problems.
You can prevent tooth erosion by avoiding highly acidic foods and drinks. These include soda, fruit juices, alcoholic drinks, and acidic vinegar.
If you do consume acidic foods and drinks, rinse your mouth immediately with water to neutralize the acid. Rinsing can also help remove any food particles that have stuck to your teeth after eating or drinking a high-acid drink.
Avoiding highly acidic foods and drinks is essential for preventing tooth enamel erosion, but it’s also important to follow other oral health habits.
Don’t swish soda, orange or lemon juice in your mouth; instead, sip it from a straw to minimize contact with the teeth. And don’t eat too many of these acidic foods or drinks – it’s better to have them as part of a meal, rather than in isolation.
2. Rinse Your Mouth After Eating
Rinsing your mouth with water immediately after eating can help re-harden enamel and neutralize acids that could soften it. This is especially important after meals high in sugar, starches or acid.
When you eat, bacteria in your mouth eat the food and produce acids. These acids can damage your tooth enamel and lead to decay if left untreated.
Saliva helps balance the acid level in your mouth, but it can't do it all the time. When you have an acidic meal or drink, try rinsing your mouth with water, drinking milk or enjoying a snack of cheese to help cancel out the acids.
Most people brush their teeth after eating, but this can actually hurt your enamel and cause damage by attacking it with the abrasive force of brushing. To keep your teeth healthy and avoid the need for expensive dental work, rinsing with water or a salt rinse after meals is key to maintaining oral health.
3. Chew Sugar-Free Gum Between Meals
After you eat, plaque forms on your teeth that contains bacteria that produce acids. These acidic substances erode your tooth enamel and cause cavities.
Chewing sugar-free gum between meals can help to prevent this damage. Gum chewing increases the flow of saliva, which flushes out food particles and neutralizes acids in your mouth.
It also carries calcium and phosphate into your mouth to strengthen the enamel.
You might think that chewing gum after eating is a waste of time, but it has many benefits for your oral health.
Xylitol-based gums, for example, are known to reduce the number of cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth.
Studies have shown that chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after meals can prevent cavities. This can be attributed to the saliva stimulation throughout the chewing process, the lack of sucrose and the inability of bacteria to metabolise polyols into acids.
4. Drink Plenty of Water
Water is a crucial part of your diet. It keeps your body functioning properly and can also help you lose weight.
Drinking plenty of water helps your body flush out harmful bacteria. It also keeps your skin soft and moisturized, which can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
The human body contains 60% water, so it’s recommended to consume at least eight 8-ounce glasses a day (the 8x8 rule).
If you can’t avoid highly acidic foods and drinks such as carbonated sodas and juices, rinse your mouth after eating them or drink them through a straw. This pushes the liquid to the back of your mouth, avoiding contact with your teeth.
Many people also enjoy drinking lemon water in the morning. This is good for your overall health and ups your vitamin C intake. However, the acids in citrus fruit can erode your tooth enamel.
Melanie Andrews of Plantation Road Dental Care can help you prevent enamel erosion and improve the function of your smile if it has eroded. Tooth decay occurs when the acid created by the interaction of sugars and everyday bacteria corrodes tooth enamel and dentin. Enamel is a rock-hard mineral that the body produces to protect the sensitive inner core of the teeth. It turns out that adding that healthy touch of lemon to a cup of tea or hot water increases the risk of enamel erosion because lemon juice (like orange juice) is extremely acidic.
Enamel loss can be caused by a variety of factors, the most common of which are exposure to acid and chronic pressure. Your dentist can help you identify signs of enamel erosion and work with you to keep your smile healthy and beautiful. Tooth decay also means that the tooth enamel in the affected area has deteriorated, so if you have symptoms of tooth decay or if you have a cavity at your next dental exam, you may have enamel erosion. Although enamel is stronger than bone, grinding your teeth regularly can erode the hydroxyapatite crystals in the enamel over time.
Bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-colored material known as resin is applied to stained or damaged teeth. Even if you already have some enamel erosion, you can prevent it from getting worse by practicing good oral hygiene. You may also experience tooth sensitivity, as tooth enamel protects them from hot and cold temperatures. However, the benefits of enamel go beyond cosmetics: they help protect teeth from bacteria, acids and pigments that can damage teeth and cause stains.
Tooth enamel erosion can be painful, but there are ways to reduce symptoms and strengthen enamel both at home and in the dentist's office. Tooth enamel is incredibly resilient and can withstand about five acid attacks a day, but it's easy to weaken it if you're someone who likes to bite something frequently, since your teeth never have a chance to recover.
