{"id":1005,"date":"2020-01-23T15:09:38","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T15:09:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/?p=1005"},"modified":"2020-01-23T15:09:39","modified_gmt":"2020-01-23T15:09:39","slug":"what-is-tooth-enamel-erosion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/what-is-tooth-enamel-erosion\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Tooth Enamel and How Can You Prevent it From Eroding?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_291477112__1579792132_36754-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"person drinking coffee and holding their mouth in pain\" class=\"wp-image-1006\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_291477112__1579792132_36754-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_291477112__1579792132_36754-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/AdobeStock_291477112__1579792132_36754.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Tooth enamel erosion will unfortunately occur no matter what you do. However, there are ways that you can reduce how fast it deteriorates and help rebuild it, so your teeth aren\u2019t left defenseless. This outer protective layer of your teeth is your first line of defense against cavities and other oral health problems. Read on to learn about how you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/preventive-dentistry.html\">protect your smile<\/a> and spot the early signs of enamel erosion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is Tooth Enamel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Tooth enamel is one of the hardest mineral substances found\nin the body and is even stronger than bone. It\u2019s the hard, outer-most layer of\nyour teeth that\u2019s located just above the dentin, which is more sensitive to temperature\nand decay. Enamel is made up of several types of minerals and, while many\npeople believe it\u2019s supposed to be a shade of white, its color can vary from a\nlight yellow to grayish color. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Causes Enamel Erosion?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Tooth enamel erosion is a completely natural process that is\ncaused by a variety of habits and oral practices, some of which can be prevented.\nThe main substance that causes this is acid that is either consumed or produced\nby harmful oral bacteria. Fortunately, your saliva can help neutralize acids\nthat you eat and drink, which helps protect your enamel. However, if you\nconsume excessive amounts of acidic products, it may not be able to do its job\nas effectively, resulting in deteriorating enamel and uncomfortable symptoms\nsuch as dental sensitivity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Can You Tell if Your Enamel is Eroding?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several signs that you can look out for that may\nsignify your enamel is eroding. Depending on the severity of the issue, the\nsymptoms can range from hardly noticeable to uncomfortable. Here are some signs\nto notice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Dental Sensitivity: <\/strong>The layer underneath\nyour enamel is your dentin, which can be incredibly sensitive when exposed to\nhot and cold temperatures. That\u2019s why enamel erosion can result in an intense\nand sharp pain when you drink a cup of hot coffee or suck on a popsicle. <\/li><li><strong>Discoloration:<\/strong> Once your enamel begins to\ndeteriorate, you may notice the yellowish color of your dentin tint your smile.\n<\/li><li><strong>Cracks and Dents:<\/strong> Your enamel is the strong\nprotective outer layer, and without it, you may notice that your teeth develop\ncracks and dents caused by chewing. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are Some Tips to Prevent Erosion and Rebuild Enamel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The best way to reduce your risk for enamel erosion is to\nminimize your intake of acidic foods and beverages such as red wine. You can\nalso keep carbonated drinks from coming into direct contact with your enamel by\ndrinking them through a straw. Additionally, chewing sugar-free gum can help\nyour mouth produce more acid-neutralizing saliva to prevent excessive exposure.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you visit your dentist every six months for a checkup\nand cleaning, be sure to let them know if you\u2019re experiencing any of the symptoms\nlisted above. They\u2019ll be able to recommend special products that can help ease\nyour discomfort and rebuild your enamel to protect your mouth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Rick Cofer is passionate about providing his patients\nwith the tools and treatments they need to optimize their oral health and keep\ntheir smiles looking great. He focuses on preventive dentistry, allowing him to\ntreat small oral health problems before they result in more serious issues down\nthe road. For over five years, he has been a part of the Seattle Study Club and\nTexas Advanced Dental Seminars, keeping him up-to-date with the latest\nadvancements in his field. For questions or to schedule a routine checkup and\ncleaning, visit Premier Family Dental\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/contact.html\">website<\/a> or call 254-732-0309.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tooth enamel erosion will unfortunately occur no matter what you do. However, there are ways that you can reduce how fast it deteriorates and help rebuild it, so your teeth aren\u2019t left defenseless. This outer protective layer of your teeth is your first line of defense against cavities and other oral health problems. Read on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1005"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1005\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1007,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1005\/revisions\/1007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premierdentalwaco.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}