4 Signs You're Suffering from Tooth Enamel Erosion

Dentist Blog

Your teeth are covered by an exceptionally strong material known as enamel. Tooth enamel is the strongest material produced by the human body, and it helps protect your teeth against everything from decay to chips and cracks.

But as strong as enamel may be, it isn't indestructible. Over time, enamel can be lost through everything from grinding your teeth to drinking too many sugary or acidic drinks. Once tooth enamel is gone, it can never be grown back, so you should see your dentist if you think you might be suffering for enamel erosion.

Here are just four common signs.

1. Sensitivity

Have you started to experience discomfort when you eat something sweet and eat or drink anything hot or cold? There are several reasons why this might be happening, but enamel loss is one of the most common. As that hard protective layer wears away, extreme temperatures are better able to penetrate through to the tooth's more vulnerable and sensitive pulp. Sensitivity will only get worse over time, so see your dentist as soon as you notice it.

2. Cosmetic Changes

If you need to know how your tooth enamel is doing, you might not have to do anything more than take a look in the mirror. As enamel wears away, the underlying dentin becomes more exposed, giving your teeth an increasingly yellowy appearance. You may also notice the edges of your front teeth becoming slightly translucent as the thinnest area of enamel gets thinner than ever.

3. Physical Changes

Cosmetic changes are often the most upsetting to see since they bring down the brightness of your smile, but they're aren't the only changes caused by enamel loss. Physical changes can also start to present themselves, including:

  • Cupping: You may notice small dents along the chewing surfaces of your teeth, and fillings may seem to rise upwards.
  • Rounding: Your teeth may look rounder at the top, as if they have been sandblasted.
  • Cracks. As your teeth get weaker, small cracks, chips, and rough areas can appear along the edges.

4. Frequent Abscesses

As enamel erodes, your teeth become increasingly vulnerable to cavities and tooth decay. As cavities grow and penetrate deeper, they can start to affect nerve endings and create painful abscesses. If you seem to be getting oral abscesses quite frequently, enamel loss could be the cause. Even if it isn't, you should still see your dentist as soon as possible.

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27 July 2018

Travel With An Australian Dentist:  The Best In The World

Miranda Raff here. My brother is a stressed-out dental student, so I'm starting this blog on his behalf. I work in a travel agency and my brother is mortified by the number of dental tourism stories I bring home. I book short holidays for people who seem as though they are going to enjoy some relaxation in an exotic country, only to learn that they plan to have cheap dental procedures. Whilst there are good dentists in developing countries, according to my brother, the complex procedures these people plan to have simply can't be finished in such a limited time. This blog is an attempt to inform you about the high skill levels and advanced technology found in Australian dental surgeries. New techniques are being developed every year and Australian dentists are at the forefront of offering these solutions. I really hope this blog helps you to appreciate our dentists.