Preventing Damages to the Teeth

Besides caries, dental problems of modern times are increasingly to do with dental decay and erosion of dental enamel. Dental problems can be curtailed through the exact determination of one’s own eating behavior and dental care.

Dental Erosion (Decay of Dental Enamel) Recognition and Protection

Juices, lemonades, and drinks contain too much carbonic acid. Many people, and particularly the younger generations, consume these drinks in ever-increasing and excessive quantities. The resulting acid attacking the teeth affects the dental substance and often leads to the loss of dental enamel. Dentists call this phenomenon dental erosion or dental decay. Our contemporary ways of life and our routine ways of food intake are decisive in furthering and accelerating dental erosions. However, people tend to underestimate this vital role. But they also ignore the fact that lost dental substance is irreparable. Comprehensive awareness-building and excellent behavioral methods can save your teeth and contribute to the sustainment of your good bite up until old age.

Talking about problems with your teeth evokes spontaneously the idea of caries. Though caries may surely be the major cause for dental decay, but thanks to comprehensive educational programs about dental health and due to the enhanced possibilities to take prophylactic measures during the last 30 years, this causal correlation has lost much of its momentum. To the contrary, dentists are now growingly face problems from a different corner: Erosion. Despite an increasing relevance of erosion, not much thought is given to this abnormal alteration of teeth so far.

Dental erosion means the loss of dentine or tooth enamel, a process caused by chemical contacts (acid), but non-corresponding to an impact of bacteria. Therefore, in terms of its development, dental erosion differs from bacterially caused cases of caries.

External factors, such as carbonated drinks and food, are therefore partly causing dental erosion. Moreover, wrong ways of conducting dental care and the consumption of certain medications further the decay of dental enamel. Acid-caused erosions of the dental enamel may be supplemented by interior, bodily factors. This would be diseases leading to an excessive production of gastric acid. Bulimia, anorexia, gastrointestinal disruptions, and frequent vomiting would be other examples.

Since the dental enamel decays at the surface only during the first stages of erosion, no softening of the enamel can be recognized and the first signs of danger to their dental health are mostly overlooked by patients. The only early indication would be a soft, silky, and matt appearance of the dental surfaces. A narrow rim along the gingival hem remains unaffected by the erosion process, because the gum protects this area of the tooth to some extent. The following stage of tooth decay can be recognized by distinctive steps and dents at the concerned tooth. Now the tooth appears in a rather yellowish color due to the loss of dental substance, and also because of the gleaming dentin. The last stage of dental decay is characterized by the erosion of the dentin itself, which seems a logical consequence as to the loss of the protecting enamel. This stage is usually looming when the patient has an increased sensitivity regarding hot and cool food, and also when the teeth’s chewing surfaces begin to flatten. After that, the teeth feel like fined down, and no fissures can be seen anymore. Another sign of an advanced stage of erosion are the appearance of existing fillings which are overtopping the actual teeth. This is almost always a sure indication of erosion in its last stadium.

Effectively Preventing Teeth from Eroding

As a first step, patients should check on their and their children's eating behaviors. Carbonated drinks, such as sports drinks, lemonades, soft drinks, and a large number of juices are contributing to dental erosion. If the list of ingredients indicates high percentages of phosphate and calcium, the damaging effects may become partly neutralized. The market seems to have already responded to these health hazards by offering specially concentrated juices that do not harm dental enamel or dentin.

As a general principle, however, the contact and the frequency of consumption of carbonated food and drinks should be kept short and limited and be treated as an exception to the rule. Here, drinking straws are helpful as they reduce contact time, and people should get used to a drinking behavior that lets the liquid not so much through the teeth but rather swallows it in large gulps.

Sugar-free chewing gum stimulates the flow of saliva, which contributes to the neutralization of acids and develops a protective film on the surface of the teeth.

Also, endogenous causes, such as eating disorders or the gastroesophageal reflux requires medical treatment. And as a matter of course, dental hygiene is indispensable. The erosion of dental enamel can be avoided by appropriate dental care. Particularly effective are small, rotary movements, especially around the gum and the neck of tooth. Through this, the decrease of gingival tissue and the opening up of tooth necks can be stopped.

Brushing teeth should take place not before one hour has passed since the last intake of food and drinks. Otherwise, the dental enamel, which is weakened and softened by the contact with acids, will be eroded. Stiff-bristled brushes, too much pressure applied to the teeth, and inappropriate tooth paste will also contribute to the decay of dental enamel. Therefore, soft and densely arranged bristles and tooth paste with a low percentage of grinding substance are better for your teeth. This is simply because they save your dental enamel.

In the event of vomiting, one should not immediately start brushing teeth, but the mouth needs to be fully cleaned beforehand. Cheese, milk, and other calcium-containing food reduce the acidity in the oral cavity.