Almost everyone understands the importance behind brushing your teeth and the role tooth enamel plays in preventative dentistry and maintaining dental health.
However, many underestimate the unique quality that enamel has and don’t have a complete understanding of how enamel works, which in return makes it far more difficult to take the necessary precautions to ensure they maintain healthy tooth enamel.
Of course, no one wants to see their tooth enamel begin to diminish. Not only can a cavity be painful, but those with enamel erosion are left with a less attractive smile.
With that said, many individuals don’t understand how tooth enamel works and do not use preventive dentistry to stop any erosion from occurring, despite understanding the vital role enamel plays in dental health. Here are five facts about tooth enamel that should give a better idea as to what enamel is and how to prevent erosion from occurring in your mouth.
Tooth enamel is one of the stronger substances in the human body. Considering the average human jaw can exert 171 pounds of force, this fact is extremely good news.
If tooth enamel were not so durable, people would be much more at risk of dental health concerns, so let’s start by being thankful for the excellent strength of enamel. However, tooth enamel is still vulnerable to erosion, which is why it is important to practice good oral hygiene.
What’s the secret behind the super-strength of enamel? If you dig down into the construction of enamel, the strength can be attributed to the minerals calcium and phosphate.
Although these two minerals help make tooth enamel remarkably resilient, they require a steady supply of mineral support, which is why fluoride treatment is the most highly recommended way to strengthen your enamel.
If tooth enamel is so durable, then why is enamel erosion so common? Quite simply, minerals have a kryptonite, which is acid producing bacteria.
When enamel is exposed to increased amounts of eroding substances, such as sugar then the healthy, supportive minerals go to war against the harmful acid producing bacteria. If the bacteria begins to erode more than the minerals that are in the enamel, then erosion begins to occur.
Regardless of how hard enamel may be, constantly putting excessive pressure on anything will wear it down over time.
The same concept applies to tooth enamel. When teeth are bombarded continuously with excessive force when brushing, the enamel will begin to weaken, which will eventually lead to chipping or erosion.
The worst part about enamel erosion is that it is impossible to reverse, meaning once it’s gone it will never grow back. While eroded enamel can be treated artificially, it is best to protect enamel and make it last a lifetime.
Otherwise, expensive filling procedures will be the only option for ensuring the quality of dental health and a great looking smile.
We are always here to help in guiding you on making the best choices for your tooth enamel and oral health. Give us a call and let us help you in making the right decision, and giving you all the information you need to keep your teeth and enamel in good shape.
Call (510) 257-2284 today to reach Oakland Dental Implant Center for more preventive dentistry tips.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Preventative Dentistry in Oakland, CA.
More people are packing their lunches at home to take to work. To help save money, this cost-saving habit can be great on the wallet. However, it also allows for more control over the type of food that you eat. Today, we will cover the top 5 best foods to have in a diet that…
Preventive Dental CareThere are two types of patients who visit the dentist. The first is the type of person who comes in regularly, on the dot, for their biannual inspection, and then there are those patients who do not want to come into our office until they have some kind of dental emergency. While we…
Having a routine dental cleaning twice a year is an essential part of keeping teeth and gums healthy. During a cleaning, tartar is removed from the patient's teeth, and that helps to prevent tooth decay. The removal of tartar also improves the appearance of the person's teeth.Tartar is the calcified plaque that hardens when left…
Wondering when you may make a general dentist office visit? There are many different types of dentists that people can choose from nowadays; their choice simply depends on their dental needs.Considering seeing a general dentist in Oakland? According to WebMD, a general dentist diagnoses, treats and manages overall oral health care needs, which includes gum…
Finding out you need cold sore treatment may elicit a mixture of emotions. While this is understandable, working with a general dentist can help you manage symptoms and outbreaks. In an effort to ease some of the negative feelings that result from uncertainty regarding cold sore treatment, we will answer five of the most commonly…
Even if you don't know much about implants, chances are you've heard the term "dental implants" thrown about a few times. Bone grafting, on the other hand, is a term that is less well-known. It is a little ironic because bone grafting and implants are frequently used together in the dental profession. When bone loss…