Have you ever had the experience where your teeth feel rough? If so, it could be an indication that your tooth enamel may be eroding. Here, we’ll explain what it means if your teeth feel rough and what exactly enamel erosion is.
What Is Tooth Enamel?
Before we dive into enamel erosion, let’s talk about enamel itself. Tooth enamel is the hard, outermost layer of your teeth that protects them against all kinds of damage, such as decay and trauma from impact. Though it is incredibly strong, enamel is not impervious to acids, which wear away at and erode your enamel and lead to tooth decay.
What Causes Enamel Erosion?
There are a number of things that can cause enamel erosion:
- Poor oral hygiene allows plaque to accumulate along your teeth and gumline. When this plaque feeds upon your dietary sugars, it produces enamel-destroying acids.
- Your diet has a lot to do with the strength or weakness of your enamel. For example, foods and drinks high in acids such as carbonated drinks and citrus fruits will wear away at your enamel and weaken your teeth.
- If you regularly experience acid reflux, the stomach acids regurgitated into your throat and mouth can reach the teeth and erode your enamel.
- Pregnant women often suffer from enamel erosion because morning sickness has a similar effect to acid reflux.
- The high chlorine content in pools can erode your enamel so try to keep your mouth closed when swimming.
How to Prevent Enamel Erosion
One of the best ways to prevent enamel erosion is by strengthening your teeth through the process of remineralization. This can occur when you eat foods high in calcium, brush your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste, and drinking fluoridated tap water. You can also remineralize your enamel by increasing your salivary flow. This is because saliva contains a number of vital minerals for strengthening your enamel. You can increase your saliva production by drinking water and chewing sugar-free gum with xylitol. Additionally, it’s vital that you maintain superb oral health habits every day at home. This means brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time, flossing at least once a day, brushing your tongue every day, and avoiding tobacco products.
Schedule a Professional Cleaning!
If your teeth don't feel as smooth as they used to, schedule a cleaning and checkup here at North River Dental Care. We can remove any plaque and tartar buildup, suggest additional ways to improve your oral health habits, and make sure your mouth is cavity-free.
