Preventing Tooth Enamel Loss: Everything You Need to Know

Tooth enamel is the first layer of defense for the soft and vulnerable parts of our teeth. 

That’s why preventing tooth enamel loss is the first and most important step in keeping your mouth healthy and your smile perfect.

In today’s article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to take care of your tooth enamel. From the main causes of enamel loss to the prevention techniques most recommended by dentists.

What are teeth with weak enamel?

Tooth enamel is the translucent shield that covers and protects the inner, sensitive part of the teeth from the more than 700 harmful and benign bacteria that populate our mouths.

That said, teeth with weak enamel are teeth with enamel loss or malformation. This makes the teeth weak due to the loss of enamel. It leaves the inner, soft part of the teeth exposed and vulnerable, more susceptible to tooth sensitivity, gum disease, cavities and even trauma. In more serious cases, it can even cause tooth loss!

You see, tooth enamel is the hardest part of the human body. Even harder than our bones, as incredible as that may sound! 

On the other hand, tooth enamel is also one of the most fragile parts of our body. And because it contains no living organisms, it is unable to regenerate itself. That’s why it’s so important to take care of our teeth to prevent enamel loss.

Restoring tooth enamel is a much more difficult task than regenerating a broken bone, for example.

In this article, you’ll learn more about teeth with weak enamel, their causes, and what you can do to get a smile like the stars.

Why does tooth enamel erosion happen?

Tooth enamel erosion occurs because we ingest foods or drinks that produce acids that wear down the enamel surface of our teeth.

Bacterial plaque made up of food particles that forms on the surface of the tooth and between the teeth when we stop brushing and flossing can turn the starch in the food into acid, causing tooth enamel erosion.

Friction, rubbing, corrosion and wear are other common causes of tooth enamel erosion.

Here’s a list of foods and habits you should avoid or at least reduce to prevent tooth enamel erosion:

1. Habitual soda intake

The biggest enemy of oral health is sugar! And guess what? Normal soft drinks, full of sugar, are still the most consumed by the general public.

All that sugar in contact with our mouth and the bacteria that live in it, produce the acids that erode our tooth enamel.

Avoid drinking soft drinks regularly and, if you do, make sure you brush your teeth afterwards.

2. Excessive consumption of citrus fruits

Many people may not know this, but excessive consumption of citrus fruits is a bad habit for your oral health.

This is because the acid that these fruits produce in contact with our mouths is extremely corrosive.

What you can and should do is rinse your mouth out with water after eating them. This way, you’ll be able to eliminate most of the acids in these drinks while maintaining a healthy die

3. Regular Use of Carbonated Drinks

It may sound crazy, but the regular use of carbonated drinks, such as sparkling water, is also a habit you should cut down on to keep your mouth healthy.

These drinks contain enough acid to cause erosion of your tooth enamel, which we want to avoid at all costs, don’t we?

4. Using mouthwash incorrectly

There’s nothing wrong with using mouthwash. But incorrect use of mouthwash, on the other hand, however well-intentioned, can cause irreparable damage.

You can and should complement your oral hygiene by using a mouthwash that inhibits or prevents plaque. Just make sure you don’t eat or drink anything for thirty minutes after using it.

5. Not practicing good oral hygiene

Not practicing good oral hygiene is one of the main causes of tooth enamel erosion, leaving the enamel weak.

If you don’t brush your teeth regularly and correctly, food and drink remains in your mouth stick to the surface of your teeth, forming plaque and, in more severe cases, tartar. And we’ve already learned that plaque can contain acids which are the cause of tooth corrosion.

At the very least, you should brush and floss your teeth twice a day.

We also saw above that you can complement your hygiene with the use of a suitable mouthwash is very welcome.

6. Consume lots of foods with citric acids

Just like excessive consumption of citrus fruits, consuming too many foods with citric acids is not good for your oral health for the same reason.

The citric acid contained in these foods is extremely corrosive and can weaken your tooth enamel.

Brush your teeth or at least rinse your mouth out with water whenever you eat these food.

7. Exaggerate alcohol consumption

Drinking too much alcohol dehydrates your body and makes your mouth dry, i.e. it reduces the production of saliva in your mouth.

Remember! Saliva is your greatest ally in preventing the proliferation of harmful bacteria in your mouth. Saliva can neutralize bacterial acids, washing away the bacteria that cause dental erosion and food debris from your mouth.

Because it contains calcium and other minerals, saliva is able to coat your teeth with these substances, providing greater protection for the enamel.

Increasing your water intake when your mouth is dry is a good way to prevent plaque-causing bacteria from growing. Studies show that people who suffer from alcohol disorders tend to have more plaque. Not producing enough saliva to maintain a balanced oral flora will eventually leave your teeth weak and susceptible to plaque and even caries.

8. Reflux

You may have already realized that the acid produced in the mouth and ingested by food and citrus drinks is one of the main enemies of your oral health.

Reflux, in turn, is a gastric disease that produces harmful acids that reach your mouth throughout the day and attack the enamel of your teeth, causing erosion and, consequently, the loss of enamel, weakening your teeth.

Treating the disease correctly will make your body and mouth healthier.

9. Grinding your teeth (bruxism)

“Bruxism” is a dental condition that causes teeth to grind and clench together, usually during sleep.

Over time, this friction wears away the tooth enamel and can cause even more serious damage, such as breaking teeth.

Generally, wearing a protective plate can help protect your teeth from the involuntary rubbing action caused during sleep.

10. Eating too much sugar

And once again, sugar! Any drink or food rich in sugar is a threat to the health of your teeth. Eating a lot of sugar, then, is no exception.

We’ve already established that sugar, in contact with the harmful bacteria that live in our mouths, forms acids that attack tooth enamel. And if combined with poor oral hygiene, it becomes a ticking time bomb for future tooth decay.

As if that weren’t enough, you should also watch out for foods rich in starches, especially “rapidly digestible starches” (RDS), found in rice and white bread, pasta, white dough in general, such as that used to make cakes and cookies.

This is because these starches are simple carbohydrates that quickly turn into pure sugar and then you’ve seen it, right?

Germicidal mouthwashes are not recommended. These are mouthwashes based on chlorhexidine gluconate, which studies show are linked to increased tartar production despite being effective in fighting harmful bacteria.

11. Fever-related enamel problems

One of the causes of tooth enamel problems is recurrent fever during childhood.

Fever is a common symptom in the fight against infections. However, when we talk about a recurring fever, it means that your body spends a lot of time trying to fight infections and the less important organs for the body’s survival such as hair, nails and even tooth enamel take second place.

It is, therefore, very common for people with severe and recurrent illnesses during childhood to have severe dental problems as adults. Problems such as weak or malformed enamel

Why do teeth have weakened enamel?

It’s true that the loss of tooth enamel is inevitable over the years. The age factor contributes greatly to weakened enamel.

But ageing is not the only reason why teeth have weakened enamel.

Throughout this article we’ve seen a list of the main culprits for weakened tooth enamel, such as sugary drinks, usually normal soft drinks, but juices and citrus and starchy foods can also be considered villains when it comes to oral health, poor brushing habits, inadequate use of mouthwash, among others. These can be considered to cause natural erosion.

Some medications such as vitamin C, aspirin and antihistamines are acidic and contribute to the demineralization of the tooth, leaving your tooth enamel weak.

Genetics is also a factor to consider and can cause your teeth to weaken.

We also have to consider dental diseases, even though they are not the most common cause of enamel weakening, such as enamel hypoplasia and enamel hypomineralization.

We’ve already looked at hypoplasia in this article.

Enamel hypomineralization, on the other hand, can be considered a little more common than hypoplasia. It also affects children to a greater extent. It causes teeth that are still forming not to absorb the minerals needed to make tooth enamel strong. The consequence is a weak layer of tooth enamel.

Another reason why teeth have weakened enamel is excessive fluoride consumption, through the intake of fluoride-based supplements and fluoridated water, called enamel fluorosis.

In the majority of cases, enamel fluorosis does not present very severe symptoms. However, in more severe cases, in addition to the loss of enamel, leaving teeth discolored, it can even cause holes in the teeth, leaving an open door to cavities.

Can plaque cause erosion of tooth enamel?

Yes, plaque is one of the causes of tooth enamel erosion.

But what is plaque anyway?

The harmful bacteria that live in our mouths come into contact with the carbohydrates in the drinks and food we consume throughout the day and produce acid on our teeth, which eventually forms plaque.

Plaque is a soft film made up of thousands of bacteria. It forms in less than 24 hours all over the tooth and between the teeth and under the gums.

These bacteria contained in plaque are extremely harmful. They repeatedly attack the teeth and eat away at the minerals in the tooth enamel, causing the enamel to wear away, and consequently erosion and loss of enamel.

That’s why it’s so important that you brush your teeth at least twice a day, every day.

How to identify enamel erosion on your tooth?

The symptoms of enamel erosion on your tooth are easy to spot, most of the time.

• Tooth discoloration – The erosion process causes the enamel to lose its thin protective layer and can give the impression of yellowing teeth.
• Sensitivity – To sweet and salty foods and drinks, as well as to temperatures (hot/cold). In more advanced stages, this sensitivity can be more severe and painful.
• Pits and Cracks – Enamel erosion makes teeth rougher and more irregular.

With advanced enamel erosion your teeth become overexposed and susceptible to cavities.

Strategies to preserve enamel integrity

Below we’ll talk about some of the main strategies and habits you should adopt to preserve the integrity of your tooth enamel and have a healthy smile.

Effective brushing in two minutes

Studies show that you need to spend at least two minutes brushing your teeth in order to eliminate as much bacteria from your mouth as possible. As well as cleaning your teeth properly, of course.

Most people don’t spend even a minute brushing their teeth. 

Dedicating at least two minutes of your time to brushing your teeth properly will allow you to eliminate 20% more plaque than other people.

Transition to soft bristle brushes

Another thing you can do to prevent tooth enamel erosion is to transition to soft bristle brushes. That is an important strategy because soft-bristled toothbrushes are less abrasive to your tooth enamel.

In addition, it’s better if you can choose to use brushes with conical tips. The brushes with soft bristles are softer. Therefore, it is less abrasive than other types of toothbrushes. And it can allow you to clean underneath your gums without causing damage.

Do that, and you’ll provide a powerful, simple, efficient way to remove plaque.

But just remember: Don’t force the brush when brushing! The best way is to brush your teeth lightly and in a circular motion around all your teeth and underneath your gums without causing any trouble.

Increased fluoride for tooth protection

Do you know why increasing the amount of fluoride in your routine is so beneficial for your mouth health and smile?

It’s because fluoride can provide the minerals your mouth needs to restore part of your damaged enamel.

An excellent way to increase fluoride to protect your teeth is using fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash.

Although, you must remember that excessive fluoride consumption causes enamel fluorosis. That’s why our recommendation is to use fluoride with caution and moderation!

Biannual dental appointments

A regular appointment with your dentist is the last thing you can do to complete your oral hygiene.

We strongly recommend doing so at least twice a year. That’s because biannual dental appointments are the ideal periodicity.

It will help you maintain a healthy mouth with more comprehensive teeth cleaning. It also helps to maintain a beautiful, healthy smile like the stars!

Problems and possible complications due to deteriorated tooth enamel

In this article, we dealt with various problems and possible complications arising from the deterioration of tooth enamel, such as discoloration, tooth stains, cracks, crumbling, and sensitivity.

In more advanced stages of tooth enamel deterioration, however, caries are the worst problem, and you need to avoid that at any cost. Caries goes beyond the hard layer of enamel into the softer, more sensitive layers of the teeth.

It can affect dental muscles and nerves, causing abscesses and severe infections, even leading to tooth loss.

It is, therefore, very common for people with severe and recurrent illnesses during childhood to have severe dental problems as adults. Problems such as deteriorated or malformed enamel.

How can you restore lost enamel?

At the beginning of this article, we saw that tooth enamel is unable to regenerate itself because it is not made up of living cells. Therefore, if an advanced stage of enamel loss occurs, it will not be possible to restore it.

On the other hand, it is still possible to restore some of the weakened enamel by strengthening it with fluoride, which will help remineralize the teeth’ surface. It won’t be possible to restore all the enamel, however.

However, we stress that prevention is best. This means developing good habits to maintain healthy oral hygiene. Brush your teeth twice daily, and remember that using dental floss and mouthwash is also part of your daily oral hygiene and eating a balanced diet.

Avoid citrus foods and drinks that are high in sugar and starch. And keep your body hydrated.

Recognizing signs of enamel hypoplasia

Although rare, enamel hypoplasia is a dental disorder that causes teeth enamel to malform. In severe cases, the enamel doesn’t form, leaving the teeth completely exposed. In milder cases, a thin, fragile layer of tooth enamel forms.

This condition affects Children more because this defect usually occurs in teeth that are still forming. But don’t be fooled: enamel hypoplasia can affect both your baby teeth and your permanent teeth.

Among the signs of tooth enamel hypoplasia that you should pay attention to in order to recognize and take your child to the dentist as soon as possible are:

• White spots or yellow-brown spots
• Holes, grooves, depressions and cracks in the teeth
• Sensitivity to heat and cold, as well as acidic foods and drinks
• Uneven wear of the teeth

Another extremely important tip is to take your baby to the dentist as soon as their first tooth is born or in their first year of life, for an early diagnosis of any dental disease they may have in early childhood.

Treatment of Enamel Hypoplasia in Children

Since hypoplasia is the malformation or even absence of tooth enamel in children, no treatment replaces the enamel itself. On the other hand, it is possible to repair or strengthen your children’s teeth.

Treatment for enamel hypoplasia in children will depend on the severity of the condition and the approach your dentist chooses to adopt, but the most common are:

• Sealant
• Filling
• Obturation
• Restoration
• Crowns
• Extraction (in more serious cases).

Natural and Effective Home Remedies

Don’t be easily fooled! There are no natural and effective home remedies to repair weak teeth!

But don’t worry, we’re going to give you some tips and tricks that can help you prevent tooth erosion and stop your enamel from becoming weak.

•  Drink water – A hydrated body produces more saliva. And saliva is a powerful ally against dental erosion. It washes bacteria out of your mouth, bringing calcium and minerals to your teeth, and strengthening them.
• Chewing sugar-free gum – Chewing has the power to increase saliva production 10-fold. And xylitol-based chewing gum reduces the acids in the drinks and foods you consume, reducing the chances of damaging your tooth enamel.
• Use a straw – When drinking citrus and sugary drinks, use a straw instead. This simple trick allows the drink to be deposited directly in the back of your mouth, without passing through your teeth. This prevents acids and sugars from coming into direct contact with your teeth and forming plaque.
• Avoid consuming acidic drinks and foods – But if you are going to consume this type of food, prefer consuming it during the main meals of the day and make sure you rinse your mouth out with water afterwards.
• Waiting to brush your teeth after eating acidic foods – It is also recommended that you wait up to an hour before brushing your teeth after consuming acidic drinks and foods. This is because they leave your teeth soft and more susceptible to the friction that the toothbrush itself can cause during brushing.
• Finish snacks/meals with cheese or a glass of milk – The agents present in milk and milk derivatives, such as cheese, cancel out the acids present in the food eaten. It’s therefore a great trick against dental erosion.
• Fluoride toothpaste – The use of fluoride toothpaste is also recommended. Fluoride strengthens your teeth and can restore some of the weak enamel.
• Conical and soft-bristled toothbrushes – Besides preventing friction on the teeth during brushing, they promote better plaque removal. It is therefore important that you give preference to this type of toothbrush.
• Treat health problems – Especially problems linked to alcohol disorders, eating disorders and gastric diseases. These problems have great potential to increase acids in the mouth and can make tooth enamel weak.

After all the points we’ve covered today, you may have realized that prevention is the best medicine when it comes to the health of your teeth.

It’s the only natural and effective home remedy against weak enamel that will help you combat the damage caused by bad habits and poor choices.

Take care of your teeth every day. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, use dental floss and mouthwash. And don’t forget to take that smile to the dentist every six months.

FAQ

How can you strengthen weak tooth enamel?

To strengthen weak tooth enamel and maintain a healthy smile you should brush your teeth daily, floss and use mouthwash. Use fluoride products to strengthen tooth enamel. And of course, make sure you see your dentist every six months.

What do teeth with weak enamel look like?

Teeth with weak enamel have discoloration and stains on their surfaces. They may have pits and cracks, giving them a crumbly feeling. They may be sensitive to food and drink (salty/sweet, cold/hot).

Can tooth enamel be restored?

Tooth enamel can be slightly restored with the use of fluoride, which gradually remineralizes the surface of the teeth, restoring part of the enamel.

Can a dentist repair lost enamel?

No, not even your dentist can repair lost enamel, but he can repair and strengthen teeth using sealing techniques, fillings, bonding, and crowns. Or, in extreme cases, extraction with subsequent dental implants.