O’Fallon Dentist Helps People Understand The Root Causes Of Dental Enamel Thinning
When your dental enamel is compromised, your smile is at risk of developing all kinds of oral health issues. Our O’Fallon dentists believe that the more that you, as a patient, know about the causes of dental enamel deterioration, the better you can protect your smile day to day. So, keep reading to learn more about how dental enamel become compromised over time.
When your dental enamel is young, strong, and healthy, it is pretty durable and non-porous. Your dental enamel is designed to protect the more vulnerable inner layers of your tooth: the dentin and the dental pulp. The more that you are able to maintain your enamel’s natural strength, the better your long-term oral health prognosis.
There are a number of things that can lead to dental enamel deterioration:
· There are many acidic substances that are very popular and part of our daily diets. When your enamel is continually exposed to dietary acids your enamel becomes softer and more prone to thinning. Things like citrus fruits, fruit juices, soft drinks, and wine make dental enamel more vulnerable.
· Bruxism is a condition that is characterized by chronic dental grinding and clenching. Sufferers may exhibit this behavior during the day, especially during times of stress, or while they are sleeping. Tooth-to-tooth dental grinding puts an immense amount of pressure on the dental enamel; this results in micro-cracks in the tooth surface as well as thinning enamel.
· Sometimes dental patients are using oral hygiene tools that are too harsh and abrasive for their teeth, and this causes tooth thinning. Talk to your dentist about what type of toothbrush you should busing, including the bristle firmness. You may be surprised to learn that most patients should actually be using soft-bristled brushes.
The more you work to maintain healthy and thick dental enamel, the healthier your smile will be as the years go on. So, call our O’Fallon dentists if you need more information—we’re here to help!