How To Protect Teeth Enamel?

Everybody knows it is important to take care of their oral health, but not all of them knows that preventing the teeth enamel from eroding plays an essential role in this process. As a protective layer, tooth enamel can’t regenerate, so it is vital to keep it in the best conditions. While regular dental care can be an effective measure, there are still many other tips that you can try at home. Keep reading to learn about how to protect your teeth enamel effectively and keep it remain intact and strong.

What is teeth enamel?

Enamel is basically the outer layer of your tooth which helps to protect it from damaging substances when you are eating or drinking. It is a calcified, porous substance comprised of crystalline calcium phosphate. In healthy teeth, this part has a white or light yellowish-brown colour.

However, many factors can wear down and damage this layer, including smoking, excessive brushing, acidic drinks, or high consumption of sugar. It is nearly impossible to regenerate or restore enamel, so it is essential to protect this part from these damaging components.

Common issues with teeth enamel

Teeth enamel is susceptible to demineralisation, also known as the loss of structure. This condition can be caused by abrasion and erosion.

i. Erosion

This is the process of wearing out and losing enamel. The most common reason for enamel erosion is acid found in beverages and foods.

ii. Abrasion

Unlike erosion, abrasion caused by mechanical sources, such as excessive use of whitening paste or toothbrush. There are 3 main forms of enamel abrasion, including mild, moderate, and severe.

Regardless of the stage, this condition can gradually wear out your teeth and lead to many negative effects on your teeth like sensitivity to cold or hot beverages, tooth fracture, tooth sensitivity, and even tooth loss.

Since both conditions might lead to serious complications, it is essential to take care of your teeth with the following methods.

How to protect your teeth ename

1. Clean your teeth properly

The simplest and most effective way to protect enamel and ensure good oral health is to brush twice per day. This will help to remove a wide range of substances which are harmful and damaging to your teeth, including acidic and sugary foods that could eat away the enamel of your teeth.

Make sure to wait at least 30 minutes after each meal to brush since acidic foods could weaken enamel and result in damaged enamel.

While regular brushing could prevent the erosion of enamel, doing this too hard could harm the enamel. Indeed, it can enhance erosion, particularly when your enamel has already affected by other factors. Consider using extra-soft toothbrushes and bristles to minimise this risk.

This clip will show you how to brush your teeth properly:

2. Floss daily

Brushing isn’t enough because there will be a lot of food and substances that get trapped between your teeth and gums. That’s why you need to floss daily to ensure complete cleaning and reduce the risk of enamel loss because of sugary or acidic foods being stuck against your teeth’s surface.

When flossing, make sure go between all teeth on the bottom and top of the mouth. After the process, it is necessary to rinse carefully with clean water to help get rid of any debris which you dislodge with flossing.

3. Avoid sugary and acidic foods

Bacteria in the mouth could feed on sugar, thus causing cavities. Thus, reducing the amount of sugary foods and beverages would help avoid enamel erosion and promote the remineralisation of the teeth, which can strengthen the enamel.

You can do this by drinking water instead of soda, replace breakfast cereal with oatmeal or porridge, eating fresh fruits rather than canned fruits, smoothies, or juice. If you eat these sugary foods, make sure drink water immediately after to remove some sugar from your teeth’s surface.

Similarly, you should also stay away from any acidic drinks and foods because they could weaken and wear away your teeth enamel. These include citrus fruits (oranges or limes), soda, beer, wine, coffee, and fruit juice.

4. Choose remineralising foods

Remineralisation is the process of rebuilding the enamel with phosphorus and calcium. Though it can’t restore your enamel completely, it could help avoid further damage and create a better environment.

Also, eating remineralising foods could also encourage the production of saliva, thus reducing the effect of acid in your mouth. Some recommended options include cheese, nuts, meats, milk, yogurt, broccoli, salmon, sardines, soy products, kale, and supplements.

5. Visit your dentist frequently

Professional advice from a dentist is important in preventing enamel erosion. Your dentist would assess the overall health of the teeth, perform a thorough cleaning, and tell you some useful tips to keep good oral health.

After the initial check, he or she might make many suggestions to help you protect your teeth such as lifestyle changes or specialised mouthwash or toothpaste. It is essential to follow these recommendations to avoid possible issues with your mouth.

Ideally, it is a good idea to visit your dentist at least once per year. Nevertheless, if you suffered from dental issues in the past, make sure to get professional care more regularly.

6. Other ways to protect your teeth enamel

In addition to those methods, there are other tips to ensure your enamel is always healthy:

a) Use specialised products

If you need additional dental care, then consider using specialised mouthwashes and toothpaste which might cater to specific needs. Among these, fluoride products can be effective in preventing cavities. If you are smoking, then there are also some special kinds of toothpaste which are made for smokers.

b) Treat enamel-damaging conditions

Many health conditions could damage your enamels such as acid reflux or tooth grinding. Thus, it is necessary to seek medical treatments to prevent further damage to your teeth.

c) Don’t bite hard objects

Chewing tough items could cause your teeth to fracture or chip. Thus, make sure to take extra care and avoid ice, hard candies, and similar things. Use mouth guards to avoid teeth grinding that doesn’t help either.

d) Quit smoking

Regular smoking could dry out and limit the production of saliva in your mouth. As a result, your enamel will be prone to acid erosion due to damaging bacteria. The only way to avoid it is to quit smoking.