Acid is the leading cause of tooth enamel loss. Over time, it corrodes enamel and leaves the tooth unprotected. Another cause of tooth enamel damage is bruising or teeth grinding. Over time, constant squeezing and friction can wear down or fracture enamel.
In this slide, teeth grinding has worn out the upper and lower front teeth. Enamel erosion is mainly caused by acids in the foods and beverages you eat. These acids wear down enamel over time, especially if you don't brush your teeth properly after eating acidic foods. Tooth enamel is the hard layer on the outer surface of the teeth that serves to protect against tooth decay.
In fact, tooth enamel is considered to be the hardest mineral substance in the body, even stronger than bone. Despite their strength, the everyday acids produced from certain foods and beverages, especially those that are sweet or contain starch, can put enamel at risk. Plaque bacteria produce acids that can weaken and destroy tooth enamel. Acids can attack and soften the tooth surface.
Enamel is the hard, protective outer coating that covers and protects the crown of a tooth. Without enamel, the inner part of a tooth, called dentin, is exposed to acids and food that cause tooth decay.
Tooth enamel erosion can occur from many factors, including diet and lifestyle choices. It can also be caused by medical conditions such as acid reflux, GERD, and eating disorders.
Acidic Foods and Drinks
When it comes to acidic foods and drinks, they can have a serious impact on your oral health. These acids can eat away at your teeth’s enamel, making them more susceptible to tooth decay and other problems like sensitivity, pain, discoloration and even cracks.
The good news is that there are a few things you can do to avoid this damaging effect. One of the most important is to be smart about what you choose to eat and drink.
You can find out if a food or drink is acidic by looking up its pH, which scientists use to measure a substance’s relative acidity. The lower the pH, the more acidic it is.
Choosing to drink water or juice all in one go, rather than sipping at intervals, can help reduce the chances of damage from acidic beverages. Using a straw can also help reduce contact with your teeth.
Poor Oral Hygiene
One of the most common reasons for enamel loss on teeth is poor oral hygiene. Not brushing and flossing regularly allows bacteria, food particles and saliva to build up in your mouth. These bacteria are able to break down minerals in your tooth’s hard, outer enamel.
This enamel erosion can lead to dental issues like sensitivity and tooth decay. When this happens, it’s important to treat the issue right away.
Tooth enamel is very hard, and it’s designed to protect your teeth from acid and plaque.
When the enamel is worn down, dentin, the softer layer beneath your tooth, is exposed to the acids and plaque in your mouth. This can cause sensitivity and can also make your teeth look yellower over time.
It’s important to maintain proper oral health by brushing, flossing and seeing your dentist regularly. This will help prevent cavities, gum disease and other oral health problems.
Genetics
In a similar way that genes determine your body's immune system, they can also influence how your teeth develop and what type of enamel they have. This is important because a weaker enamel is more likely to break and become damaged by bacteria.
There are several types of genetic tooth enamel disorders that can affect the appearance and health of your teeth. One of these is amelogenesis imperfecta, which causes the development of abnormally thin and weak enamel.
Another is dentinogenesis imperfecta, which affects the formation of a normal layer of enamel. This can lead to a translucent blue-gray or yellow-brown color of the teeth and is often accompanied by discoloration.
Studies are finding that about 60 percent of your tooth decay risk is related to your genes. This is why it's so important to maintain proper oral hygiene and make sure you brush twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste and floss daily. These are the things that will help prevent your teeth from becoming damaged by acids and weakened by sugars.
Stress
Stress causes teeth to become thinner and less dense, which makes them more prone to cracks and chips. It also can cause clenching and grinding of the jaw, known as bruxism.
Chronic stress disrupts nearly all of your systems, and may lead to other health issues in the long run. It can affect your heart, digestive, and reproductive systems and rewire your brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.
During times of stress, you may let your dental routine slide and skip brushing or flossing. This can lead to more plaque buildup, tooth decay and cavities.
Excessive stress can also cause you to have dry mouth, which inhibits your saliva production and leads to more oral health problems down the road. This is a major issue because saliva removes food particles from the teeth, keeps them moist, remineralizes tooth enamel and fights bacteria.
And once the enamel is gone, it can disappear forever. Sugar in foods and beverages wears down the surface of the tooth when bacteria in the mouth use sugar to produce acids that erode enamel. Acids found in foods and beverages corrode tooth enamel, accelerating the tooth decay process. Soft drinks are some of the worst offenders because of their acid and sugar content.
Studies show that the long-term effects of drinking soda can be harmful to dental health. The plaque contains bacteria that convert starchy foods into acids and cause enamel erosion. Good oral care, such as brushing your teeth twice a day and after meals, removes plaque from your teeth and reduces the rate at which your teeth wear out. Stomach acid can also help lose tooth enamel.
Acid reflux, GERD, alcohol abuse and bulimia expose teeth to higher levels of stomach acid. You may want to consider joining your teeth if enamel erosion has caused discolorations in your front teeth. However, you can help stop harmful tooth enamel loss by following a regular oral care routine that consists of brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily. It also contains active stannous fluorine, which binds to enamel and strengthens it to create a microthin shield against acid attack.
Once tooth enamel has deteriorated, it can damage dentin, the layer of tissue underneath the enamel. Hypomineralization of enamel occurs when developing teeth do not absorb the necessary minerals effectively and the enamel coating remains weak. If you have any of these symptoms, you may have an oral health condition called tooth enamel erosion. Even if you already have some enamel erosion, you can prevent it from getting worse by practicing good oral hygiene.
This means that once tooth enamel is compromised by physical or chemical damage, it cannot repair itself or grow back. When people have soft teeth, it may be because they don't have enough enamel or because they have weakened enamel. Taking steps to protect and strengthen tooth enamel ensures that the remaining enamel protects the tooth indefinitely. Most of us know that a “cavity” is simply a hole in the tooth enamel that allows bacteria and other decay agents to invade and damage the inside of the tooth.
While tooth enamel cannot be reconstructed, you can prevent enamel loss due to acid erosion with a good oral care routine. Depending on your observations, your dentist will discuss various treatment options with you to prevent further damage to the enamel. .
