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Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body and the first line of defense against cavities and tooth decay. Despite its strength, tooth enamel can be eroded by acid, and leave your teeth susceptible to cavities. But, you can take some simple steps to avoid acid erosion, and strengthen your tooth enamel.

What Causes Enamel to Erode?

Dietary Causes

There are many factors that cause acid erosion, but, most of the damage is done by the foods and drinks that you consume. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), soft drinks are the most frequent source of erosive acids, due to their high acidity and frequency of consumption. Other drinks like fruit juice, sports drinks and energy drinks can also damage your teeth through acidic erosion.

What does Enamel Erosion look like?

Enamel erosion often results in tooth discoloration, causing teeth to look yellow. It can also cause shiny spots to appear on teeth. People suffering from enamel erosion often report sensitive teeth as their primary symptom.

Bodily Causes

Certain ailments and health conditions can also cause erode your tooth enamel. For instance, women who are pregnant and suffer from morning sickness can experience tooth enamel erosion. This is due to expelling acidic stomach contents. Additionally, people who suffer from gastroesophageal acid reflux disease (GERD) can also experience tooth enamel erosion, since it is a condition that causes stomach acid to involuntary resurface.

Acid Erosion in Children

A recent study found that just over 41% of children in the United States suffer from acid erosion. Unsurprisingly, cavities are the most common disease afflicting children in the United States, and almost completely preventable. Acid erosion in children is largely caused by dietary choices. You can help keep your children’s dental enamel strong, and avoid acid erosion with a few simple methods.

Cut back on Citrus

Food and drinks high in citric acid erode tooth enamel in a process called demineralization. In bad cases of demineralization, acid will work its way to the soft layer beneath the enamel called the dentin. These advanced cases lead to tooth sensitivity and pain.

Drink More Water, Less of Everything Else

Water is a fantastic tool in the fight against acid erosion. Water is not acidic, and does not harm tooth enamel. It also improves saliva production, which naturally cleans teeth of debris and restores the mouth back to a healthy ph balance.

To take it a step further, you and your child should rinse their mouth out with water after each meal. This will wash away any food debris in their mouth, and help prevent cavities.

Add Calcium Rich Foods

Calcium is a dental super mineral. That’s because it neutralizes damaging acids and is a great enamel protector. Try to add at least one dairy product to each of your child’s meals to provide them with adequate amount of calcium. If your family does not consume dairy, try introducing some of these other calcium-rich foods: almond milk, canned fish, kale, soy yogurt or soy beans. If you’re buying packaged food as a calcium source, check the packaging to ensure that there is an adequate amount.

Use Fluoridated Toothpaste

Toothpaste with fluoride strengthens enamel through a process called remineralization. When choosing fluoridated toothpaste, make sure that it has the ADA seal of approval to ensure that it has been rigorously tested and approved.

Visit Our Office

If you’re worried that your child is suffering from enamel loss, then visit our office. Enamel is the first line of defense against cavities and tooth decay, and enamel erosion should be taken seriously. We will evaluate your children’s teeth, and come up with a treatment plan that works for them.

To get a healthy smile that lasts a lifetime, it’s important that you begin with the right tools. The most important tool for overall oral health is the toothbrush. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that everyone brush their teeth twice per day, for two minutes at a time. But, brushing your teeth is only as effective as your toothbrush. Below, we discuss how to care for your toothbrush, and list the warning signs of an ineffective toothbrush.

How to Keep Your Toothbrush Clean

To get the most out of your toothbrush, it’s important that you take proper care of it. Here are a few simple ways to ensure that your toothbrush has a healthy lifespan.

1 – Rinse after use. After you brush your teeth, thoroughly rinse the bristle to clean them of toothpaste and debris. Sometimes, debris can remain in a toothbrush after use, and damage the bristles.

2 – Never share. If you share your toothbrush, you risk contracting unhealthy germs from the other person, which can ruin your toothbrush by contamination. To avoid getting sick and sharing disease, stick to your own toothbrush.

3 – Air dry. After you’re done brushing, be sure to let your toothbrush air dry, rather than placing the head in a dark, contained holder. If you put a wet toothbrush in a container, bacteria can grow on the toothbrush head and cause you to become sick. The best way to prevent bacterial growth is by letting your toothbrush air dry in an upright position in a vanity or closet, away from toilet spray.

When to Replace Your Toothbrush

There are a few signs that will indicate it’s time for a new toothbrush. Generally speaking, if any of the following signs presents itself, it’s time to get a new toothbrush.

1 – Losing bristles. If bristles begin falling out, then it’s time to get a new toothbrush. Loose bristles indicate sufficient use and toothbrush age. Additionally, you don’t want to risk swallowing small pieces of synthetic polymers.

2 – Frayed bristles. When the bristles on your toothbrush no longer hold their shape, and they begin tom plume outward, then they are no longer effective. Once your toothbrush head begins to lose shape, then it’s time to get a new toothbrush.

3 – 3 months and older. If your toothbrush is older than 3 months, then it’s likely that one of the two indicators above has occurred. Frayed or not, we typically advise that our patients trade out their old toothbrush for a new one every 3 – 4 months.

4 – Recent illness. If you have recently been sick, then it’s time to trade out your toothbrush. Bacteria and germs from an illness can be passed from your mouth to your toothbrush and survive for weeks

Take Care of Your Tools

Toothbrushes are an important tool in the fight against cavities, so take care of yours! Remember to brush your teeth twice per day for two minutes at a time. After you’re done brushing, thoroughly clean your toothbrush, and look for signs of it aging.