Angela Broussard Rogers

Tooth Erosion And Its Prevention

Nature's Smile is the best solution for gum problems.

Tooth erosion is wearing off of the enamel caused by the acidic action.  Enamel is the hardest substance in our body that is covering and protecting the outside of the teeth.  There is a wide variety of symptoms ranging from mild to severe.  The symptoms of tooth erosion start from tooth sensitivity to cracking.  These symptoms are unpleasant in the beginning but then lead to a lot of health problems.

 We are going to divide the symptoms into early and advanced, so that we can understand as to how it progresses in different stages.  The first symptom manifests in the form of teeth discoloration.  In the process of tooth erosion, the substance known as dentin starts to expose and the more it is exposed with erosion the more the discoloration occurs. 

Tooth sensitivity is another symptom that occurs during the early stages.  The enamel when wears off, exposes dentin resulting in increased tooth sensitivity.  With the wear off of enamel, the teeth start to take more of a rounded shape.  During the early part of erosion, the teeth start to appear very rough and all these are the signs and symptoms of an early tooth erosion process.

Now let us see the advanced stages of tooth erosion.  In this stage, as the process of erosion continues on, there starts to appear cracks in the teeth giving them a very rough look.  Along with that there are dents that appear in the areas of biting.  Another symptom of tooth erosion in the advanced stages is the extreme sensitivity.  This is almost totally intolerable at this stage.

Since tooth erosion can do very severe health damage, let us see the different aspects on how we can prevent it.  If you have consumed acidic foods, wait for about an hour or so before you brush your teeth.  This time gap allows remineralization of the teeth.  It is also important that you cut back on the carbonated beverages.  Instead you can take milk, tea, coffee, etc.

Another tip that can be really helpful to you would be to use straw while drinking carbonated beverages.  This prevents the beverage washing the teeth and the beverage is lead to the back of the throat.  Do not swish the carbonated beverages.  If you are having the problem of dry mouth, you can use sugar-free gums that would increase the production of saliva in your mouth.

Do not use a hard bristle brush but rather use soft bristles, which will prevent any gum bleeds.  You can also use toothpastes that have fluorides in them, as it helps decrease tooth sensitivity.  There is a medical condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease also known as GERD, which causes the acid to reflux back from stomach to mouth.  If this condition is severe, it can lead to tooth sensitivity and ultimately tooth erosion.  Therefore if you are suffering from this condition, do get it checked as soon as possible.

I hope the article will help you get a quick view on tooth erosion and how you can prevent it from occurring.

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