Dental Erosion: Understanding Its Causes and How to Protect Your Teeth

In this guide, we’re looking at the role of dental erosion in modern dentistry and how you can take steps to protect your teeth. We’ll explore what causes your enamel to erode and what you can do to restore your smile if you have suffered extensive erosion.

What causes enamel erosion?

Enamel erosion can be caused by your choice of food and drink, lifestyle habits and how well you care for your teeth. Let’s look at each potential issue in more detail.

• Acidic food and drink can attack the enamel on your teeth and leave it softer and weakened. A diet that is high in sugar and fizzy drinks is more likely to lead to enamel erosion. Alcohol can also lead to enamel erosion. Once the enamel is weakened, it is more likely to be brushed away when you clean your teeth.

• Certain health conditions can lead to enamel erosion. Acid reflux and eating disorders such as bulimia can lead to an increase in stomach acid in the mouth. This can attack the teeth and lead to enamel erosion.

• Taking certain medications can slow saliva production, which can lead to dry mouth. Those suffering from dry mouth are more likely to suffer from enamel erosion because saliva is essential for neutralising acidic substances in the mouth.

• Excessive brushing can also lead to enamel erosion. If you brush your teeth too hard, or if you use abrasive substances that are not suitable for brushing your teeth, you could inadvertently be doing more damage to your teeth than good. This is a difficult one for patients to hear, as they often assume that brushing their teeth well is always going to be good for their teeth, but this isn’t always true.

What does enamel erosion look like?

If you are suffering from enamel erosion, your teeth might look darker at the ends. The end of the tooth could become so thin that the inside of the tooth becomes visible, leaving the tooth looking darker or uneven in colour.

Enamel is also responsible for giving your teeth their white appearance, so when you lose this proactive layer, your teeth might appear more yellow. This is different to the discoloration caused by food and drink. It typically cannot be addressed using teeth whitening treatments, as the cause is the removal of the enamel layer.

How can we treat enamel erosion?

If you are worried about enamel erosion, the first step is to visit your dentist for a checkup. We would first want to explore the cause of your enamel erosion so that we can address this issue head on.

Once we know the cause, we can then take steps to address the issue. For example, if your enamel erosion is the result of an aggressive brushing technique, we would recommend switching to a softer toothbrush and stopping the use of abrasive toothpaste.

A remineralisation toothpaste could help to address the sensitivity that often goes hand in hand with enamel erosion. However, this will not replace the enamel layer.

If you are concerned about the appearance of your teeth, the best option would be to protect your teeth with a treatment like veneers or composite bonding.

Veneers for enamel erosion

A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain that is placed over your existing teeth to improve the appearance, including the colour, shape and alignment. This is highly effective for concealing the effects of enamel erosion while also providing some protection for your teeth. This is a permanent treatment, which means you will have to wear a veneer for the rest of your life.

Composite bonding for enamel erosion

Another treatment possibility for enamel erosion would be composite bonding. This is similar to veneers, but the difference is the application. With this treatment plan, composite resin is applied directly to the tooth and then shaped before it is cured. It can then be shaped and polished to perfection. Like veneers, composite bonding will offer some protection to the tooth while also helping to conceal the effects of enamel erosion.

Protecting your teeth from enamel erosion

If you want to avoid the possibility of ever facing enamel erosion, there are protective steps you can take. Try the following steps to help protect your smile:

• Avoid excessive consumption of sweets and fizzy drinks. If you do enjoy sugary or fizzy drinks, try to rinse your mouth with water afterwards to minimise the contact with your teeth. You can also enjoy drinks through a straw to limit the impact.

• Try chewing sugar-free gum between meals to stimulate saliva production to protect your teeth.

• Choose a toothbrush that is just right for your teeth; not too soft and not too hard. You should also avoid brushing with anything abrasive, including DIY “teeth whitening” solutions such as baking soda.

• Wine and other alcoholic drinks can be very acidic and might damage your teeth. You can neutralise the impact of a glass of wine by enjoying a piece of cheese alongside it. The calcium in the cheese will help to protect your teeth.

Final thoughts on enamel erosion

If you’re worried about enamel erosion, get in touch with our team to arrange a checkup to explore how you can stop this condition in its tracks.