What’s Up with Worn Teeth?

Are your teeth looking low? Suffering from slightly emptied enamels? You might be suffering from worn teeth!

What are Worn Teeth?

You know you have worn teeth when the tooth enamel, which is the visible dental tissue covering the tooth, is worn or significantly reduced. Tooth Enamel is one of the tissues that make up our tooth, the hardest and most mineralized substance in our body. (Wikipedia) If the enamel is worn, this can lead to tooth sensitivity and worse, tooth decay.

What is Dental Erosion?

Dental erosion is the wearing away of tooth enamel due to chemical substances. This is commonly caused by acids contained in citrus fruits.

Lifestyle factors that can contribute to dental erosion include the following -

1. exercise and sport2. consumption of drinks containing caffeine3. consumption of alcohol4. stress5. shift work

Dental Erosion - Solutions from Belle Dental

There are different causes of Worn Teeth:

Dental Abrasion:

The wearing away of tooth enamel caused by foreign objects, such as fingernails and oral jewellery. This can also be caused by excessive brushing of teeth.

Dental Attrition:The gradual loss of enamel due to excessive grinding of teeth, a case called Bruxism. Bruxism often occurs while one is asleep, eating or talking.

How to Prevent Worn Teeth?

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. So how can you prevent your teeth from being worn? Here are some tips to follow:

Avoid massive teeth contact – stay away from foods that would make your teeth work doubly hard. Biting and crunching ice, chewing hard cookies and candies are just some of the no-nos. Also avoid chewing gum as this is one of the major causes of Bruxism.

Don’t take too much – Too much of something is bad. Brushing too much and ingesting too many citrus fruits, colas or alcohols can wear your teeth down. Regular brushing is good, but overdoing it is another story. Do it at least three times a day, an hour after every meal. Why is it proper to brush an hour after your meal? The reason is because when you take in a lot of acid it softens the tooth enamel and brushing immediately after would simply wash the enamel away.

How to Prevent Worn Teeth?

Be aware – The most important tip to follow. We should be aware of what we eat at all times not just for our teeth but also for our health.

Ask the Dentist – Dentists are your friends. They are here to help and provide you with the best solutions to your dental problem. They’ll help you stay away from worn teeth and give you a beautiful smile.

Worn Teeth - Solutions from Belle Dental