Tooth Enamel Damage – Protect Your Smile

by | Sep 30, 2015

When you trim your fingernails, you can trust that they will grow again. When an eyelash escapes, you know that another one will take its place. But not everything on the human body will replace itself. What we’re talking about is tooth enamel, one of the most important parts of the human body.
Amazingly enough, this protective coating on your teeth is the hardest substance on your entire body. It protects your teeth so that you can chew, bite and crunch. In fact, tooth enamel is even tougher than your bones.
But another huge difference between the enamel on your teeth and the strength of your bones is this important fact:  A fractured bone eventually heals. But because there are no living cells in tooth enamel, it cannot heal itself. Once it is damaged, it cannot be repaired or replaced. And after tooth enamel damage occurs, Hendricks County patients come to Danville Family Dentistry, complaining that eating or drinking hot, cold or sugary items causes them pain.

Tooth Enamel Loss – Causes and Prevention

Drinking too many soft drinks and fruit juices, and eating too many sugary and starchy foods can damage your teeth in many ways. But along with an increased risk of tooth decay, the acidity and sugar in these items can wear on the enamel of your teeth. Frequent use of certain medications, such as aspirin and antihistamines, can damage tooth enamel, too. And if you suffer from acid reflux, the acids in your stomach can also damage the enamel on your teeth. Once the protective coating provided by enamel is no longer there, toothaches develop.
We encourage our Hendricks County patients to make the following lifestyle changes so that Danville Family Dentistry can help you keep your smile beautiful and pain free:

  • Drink a lot more water than juice or soda. But when you do drink these sugary, acidic beverages, use a straw.
  • Avoid chewing on ice. It can cause the enamel on your teeth to chip or crack.
  • Use fluoride toothpaste three times a day and fluoride mouthwash as often as possible.
  • When you feel a hankering for a sugary snack, chew sugar-free gum instead.

You can also help prevent tooth enamel erosion by visiting our Hendricks County office for regular checkups and cleanings. Schedule your appointment today.