Tooth Enamel Repair: How to Protect and Restore Your Teeth

A thin but strong protective barrier called enamel protects your teeth, which is the hardest material in your body! Yet strong as it is, it’s not impenetrable. After it is worn away, it can’t regenerate naturally. This is why tooth enamel repair is vital to understand and what you can do to safeguard it.

What is Tooth Enamel and Why is it Important?

The surface of the teeth is enamel which has almost 96% minerals. It serves as a barrier against daily use, extreme weather and harmful acids. If this layer is worn away, teeth will be sensitive, discoloured, and more prone to decay.

The tricky part? Enamel is made up of no live cells and the body is incapable of creating it. Once it’s out of the door, professional help is the way to go.

Common Causes of Enamel Erosion

Over time, some daily activities and health issues can erode your teeth's enamel without you realizing it:

Acidic foods and drinks: Carbonated drinks, citrus juices, even sour candy are usually foods and beverages with a high level of acid. Their acids weaken the enamel and can cause erosion many times over.
Too much or too early brushing: excessive brushing or brushing shortly after eating acidic foods can wear down the surface. Do not brush for at least 30 minutes before.
Dry mouth: saliva is important to counteract acids and to remineralise teeth. With reduced salivation, enamel is not protected.
Acid reflux (GERD): stomach acid coming up into the mouth again and again will, over time, harm the enamel.
Biting or grinding the teeth (bruxism): Affects the enamel by gradually wearing it down by the constant contact of teeth, which is called attrition.

If you have a lot of the common causes of toothache, then there could be a problem with your enamel that you should check out.

Signs Your Enamel May Be Eroding

Increased sensitivity to hot, cold or sweet foods.
Exposure of the underlying dentin due to yellowing teeth.
Tooth edges that are rough or jagged.
Smooth and shiny areas where minerals have been removed.
Tight areas on the chewing surface.

If you already have sensitive teeth and it has a significant impact on your everyday life, you may want to consider a natural way to treat sensitive teeth in the meantime.

Professional treatment options for Tooth Enamel Repair

Although enamel can’t regenerate, there are effective means of repairing, protecting and restoring damaged teeth in modern dentistry.

Remineralisation

Fluoride treatments and remineralising agents are effective in early stages of erosion to keep the enamel from getting worse.

Dental Bonding

A tooth coloured resin is used and manipulated to restore the surface of the tooth in the case of minor chips or rough spots. It’s a rapid, non-invasive procedure for mild cases.

Dental Veneers

If the enamel is worn away, and a person’s smile is affected in appearance, veneers are a cosmetic choice. The bond of porcelain shells to surfaces of teeth to correct surface defects and enhance the appearance.

Dental Crowns

If the tooth is badly damaged, the dentist may consider covering the tooth with a dental cap (crown) in this case, the cap covers the whole tooth to protect it from further wear and allows it to function. Your dentist will also be able to discuss any missing teeth treatment options if erosion has caused you to lose your teeth, if you want a complete smile back.

Smile Correction Procedures

If the erosion has involved more than one tooth and has affected the overall appearance of the smile, smile correction treatments can be used to correct the smile in a comprehensive treatment plan that not only improves the function of the teeth but the overall aesthetics of the smile.

Final Thoughts

The process of tooth enamel repair involves two main tasks which include safeguarding existing enamel and restoring lost functionality and lost capacity to eat and drink which erosion has taken away. Permanent positive changes in health outcomes require people to combine specific daily activities with necessary specialized medical treatment.

People who experience enamel erosion problems and tooth sensitivity issues should schedule an appointment with Dental Peace for their initial step towards achieving better dental health.

Location:

C2/252, Kundapura, C-2 Block, Janakpuri, New Delhi, Delhi, 110058

17/28, Mall Rd, Old Market, Block 24, Tilak Nagar, Delhi, 110018