Important Things One Should Know About Enamel Erosion

People constantly consume something or the other throughout the day. Different acids can cause harm to the teeth in different capacities. Enamel erosion is a very common tooth disease among people in general that can cause irreparable damage to their teeth. Consumption of different kinds of foods and beverages which can frequently expose one’s teeth to acids can lead the hard tissues of their teeth to wear away. As the hard tissues of the teeth erode, one may get teeth sensitivity that causes pain and discomfort while eating. Before getting the problem treated, one should have the basic understanding about sensitive teeth and the reasons for sensitive teeth to tackle it in a better way.

What is tooth erosion?

Tooth erosion is the erosion of the enamel – the outermost covering of the teeth. A translucent hard tissue, enamel serves as a protector of the teeth, which is also the first thing to get affected when someone consumes acidic foods/beverages. Since the enamel doesn’t have any living cells, it cannot regenerate itself once damaged. This is why the teeth lose their protection when the enamel is damaged, which is also referred to as tooth erosion.

Major factors to cause enamel erosion

Production of acid by the bacteria in the mouth is one of the major factors of enamel erosion. Children between the ages of 5 and 7 are mostly witnessed for frequently exposing the surface of their teeth to the acids in the mouth. Apart from acid exposure, following reasons contribute to the irreparable damage to the tooth.

• Excessive consumption of soft drinks regularly is harmful to the tooth.
• Xerostomia, the dry mouth syndrome leads to reduced salivary flow in the mouth which causes erosion of the tooth structure.
• Gastrointestinal problems such as an acid reflux from the stomach into the mouth can lead to enamel erode.
• In some case, genetics can be the reason behind tooth erosion.
• Certain medications which introduce acids or similar substances in the mouth can lead to enamel decay.

As enamel decay leads to teeth erosion, one should notice the problem with some signs such as discolouration, sensitive teeth, cracks and chips, and etc. Though there can be various reasons for sensitive teeth, tooth erosion due to enamel decay is the problem that most people suffer from. However, like many other health problems, one can seek proper treatment for enamel decay from an experienced dentist in time to get back their smile.

This article discusses the multitude of reasons that lead to tooth sensitivity such as gum diseases, decaying tooth