Premature Tooth Wear:
Enamel is the tooth’s thin outer covering. This tough shell is the human body’s hardest tissue. Enamel covers the crown, which is the visible part of the tooth outside of the gums. Because enamel is translucent, light can pass through it.
However, dentin, the main portion of the tooth, is responsible for the colour of your teeth, whether they are white, off-white, grey, or yellowish. Coffee, tea, cola, red wine, fruit juices, and cigarettes can all stain the enamel of your teeth. Cleaning and polishing your teeth on a regular basis with toothpaste can help remove most surface stains and keep your teeth healthy.
What is the function of tooth enamel?
- The enamel protects your teeth from everyday activities such as chewing, biting, crunching, and grinding. Although enamel is a tough tooth protector, it can chip and crack.
- Enamel also protects teeth against potentially painful temperatures and chemicals. Unlike a broken bone, which the body can repair, once a tooth chips or breaks, the damage is permanent. The body cannot repair chipped or cracked enamel because it contains no living cells.
- Teeth are extremely strong and durable, and if we practise good at-home oral hygiene and go to the dentist every six months for cleanings and examinations, we can expect our teeth to last a lifetime.
- However, tooth wear is a normal and expected part of the ageing process. However, there are ways to keep your teeth as strong and healthy as possible for as long as possible.
Preventing Early Tooth Wear:
A few factors can hasten the deterioration of your teeth. The following are a few common reasons why teeth may begin to wear abnormally and how to avoid them:
- Bruxism :
Bruxism is the nighttime grinding and clenching of the teeth, which is commonly caused by stress. Bruxism can cause teeth to grind against each other, causing the enamel to wear away and teeth to be damaged prematurely. Fortunately, wearing a night guard to bed can alleviate bruxism symptoms.
- Gum Recession:
Gum recession can result in enamel loss at the gum line, a condition known as abstraction. Proper oral hygiene and extra precautions to avoid gum disease and gingivitis can reduce the risk of gum recession and abstraction.
- Bad Habits:
If you bite your nails, chew on pens or pencils, or use your teeth as tools, you may be damaging the enamel. Changing these habits is an excellent way to protect your teeth from excessive wear and tear.
- Acidic Diets:
A diet high in acidic foods and beverages can erode tooth enamel and accelerate tooth wear. To combat this problem, we recommend eating acidic foods sparingly, avoiding soda, and brushing after highly acidic meals.
What are the indications of tooth wear?
Depending on the stage of tooth wear, the signs can vary. Some warning signs include:
- Sensitivity- In the early stages of enamel erosion, certain foods (sweets) and food temperatures (hot or cold) may cause a twinge of pain.
- Discolouration- The teeth may appear yellow as the enamel erodes and more dentin is exposed.
- Chips and cracks- As the enamel erodes, the edges of teeth become rougher, irregular, and jagged.
- Extremely painful sensitivity- Teeth become extremely sensitive to temperatures and sweets as they wear down. You may experience a painful jolt that causes you to lose your breath.
- Cupping- Dents appear on the teeth’s surface.
When a tooth is worn down, it becomes more vulnerable to decay. When tooth decay penetrates the hard enamel, it gains access to the tooth’s main body.
Small cavities may not cause any issues at first. However, as cavities grow and penetrate the tooth, they can affect the tiny nerve fibres, resulting in excruciating pain and infection.
How do you keep your teeth from wearing down?
- Brush, floss, and rinse daily with toothpaste and antiseptic mouthwash to prevent tooth wear and keep teeth healthy.
- Schedule regular checkups and cleanings with your dentist every six months. You can also try the following options:
- Reduce your intake of highly acidic foods and beverages, such as carbonated sodas, lemons, and other citrus fruits and juices. After eating, immediately rinse your mouth with clean water.
- When drinking acidic drinks, use a straw. The straw directs the liquid to the back of your mouth, away from your teeth.
- Maintain vigilance over snacks. Snacking throughout the day raises the likelihood of tooth decay.
- After eating foods high in sugar and starches, the mouth becomes acidic for a few hours. Snacks should be avoided unless you can rinse your mouth and brush your teeth.
- Between meals, chew sugar-free gum. Chewing gum increases saliva production by up to tenfold. Saliva contains minerals that help strengthen teeth.
- If you have low saliva volume or a dry mouth, drink more water throughout the day.
How is tooth wear treated?
The treatment of tooth wear is determined by the nature of the problem. Tooth bonding is sometimes used to protect the tooth while improving its cosmetic appearance.
If the enamel loss is severe, the dentist may recommend a crown or veneer to protect the tooth. The crown may keep the tooth from decaying further.
If you are concerned about your gum health, please contact Partha Dental today.
