What You Should Know About Enamel Erosion
BY READERS DIGEST
1st Jan 2015 Health Conditions
Did you know that enamel is the hardest material in your body? It's even harder than your bones.
The enamel layers your teeth and protects them from bodily fluids, different chemicals, and other outside objects. Everything that can pose a threat to your teeth has to battle with the enamel and enamel defense is vital to your dental health. But we often come across enamel erosion when practicing poor dental habits.
To learn how to take care of your dental health, try visiting your dentist more often. Find a clinic that works for you. Consult with professionals like Perfect Smile Spa and learn more about healthy dental habits.
How can you identify the symptoms of enamel erosion?
You might be thinking, do I need to worry about enamel erosion? Yes, you need to think about it and think about the ways to prevent it. But before we start talking about it, let's mention some symptoms to identify enamel erosion:
- You experience increased sensitivity of teeth (sensitivity to taste, temperature, and fluids).
- You can see cracks and chips on your teeth.
- Your teeth start to change color (turn into darkish yellow).
- You notice dryness in your mouth.
- Your teeth became rougher on the edges.
Keep in mind that these symptoms are common in other diseases too. But when you find yourself experiencing several at the same time, make an appointment to see your dentist.
Understand what causes enamel erosion
Naturally, erosion can happen to all of us. Mostly it depends on the food that you consume, the way you brush your teeth and your dental habits.
You might experience enamel erosion if:
- You love to eat starchy foods like white bread.
- You eat a lot of sugar and sweets (ice-cream, chocolate, caramel, etc.).
- You prefer to drink sugary drinks (soda, fruit juice, etc.).
- You love munching on acidic foods (green apples, berries, citrus, etc.).
- You are known to grind your teeth.
- You have low salivary flow.
- You regularly use specific medication that can affect your dental health.
- You have experienced an eating disorder that exposes teeth to stomach acid.
How vital can enamel erosion be?
Take extra care with your enamel, because once the erosion starts, there's no way of returning it to the previous state.
When you cut your skin, it heals after some time and goes back to its' previous form if treated correctly. But enamel doesn't have living cells and won't be able to repair itself. In other words, enamel can't regenerate as your skin does.
Take these precaution to avoid enamel erosion:
- Try to avoid indulging acidic fruits often. Acid wears down the enamel, and there's no way of fixing it.
- Stop drinking sugary drinks and soda. It's not only bad for your teeth, but your health in general. Sugary beverages are carbs that help your body gain unhealthy weight.
- Try to avoid sweet foods like ice-cream and chocolate. You don't need to live a sugar-free life (although it's much healthier), but try to eat less sugar than before.
- Schedule regular dental exams with your dentist.
- Consult a professional about how to prevent enamel erosion.
What if I experience the symptoms?
Make an appointment and write down every detail about your symptoms. The dentist will identify them visually but be ready to talk about them too. After the identification of the problem, your dentist will take steps and give you a professional consultation.
Our livelihoods depend on our health. We regularly go to our doctors for check-ups. We take medications, take precaution and add supplements to our food. All these to keep our bodies in a healthy state and be ready to battle the diseases.
Mostly, people visit their GP regularly but forget about visiting their dentists for regular exams. Only a few people visit the dentists depending on their oral hygiene and habits. Only some consider visiting dentists twice a year a rule of thumb.
Yet, pain in the oral area is nightmarish, and you wouldn't even wish it upon your worst enemy.
