What Causes Tooth Enamel Loss?

When it comes to your dental health, strong tooth enamel is one of the most critical parts. It’s the outermost tooth layer and protects the vulnerable insides from damage and decay. However, you’ll need to care for your enamel as it cares for you.

Sugary and acidic foods, teeth grinding, and certain medications can all cause tooth enamel loss. You could have a much more severe and costly problem if you're not careful.

Causes of Enamel Loss

Your tooth enamel is hard — harder than your bones even. Unfortunately, it can break down over time. While you will lose some of your enamel as you age, other factors can speed up this loss.

Acidic Foods and Beverages

A primary culprit of tooth enamel loss is acidic foods and beverages.

Citric acid is particularly aggressive on our teeth; you can find it in healthy foods like apples and oranges. This doesn’t mean you should cut these fruits entirely from your diet, as they still offer many essential vitamins. You should instead limit your consumption and rinse your teeth with plain water after eating. 

Sugars and Starches

Sugary foods, such as ice cream and candy, and starchy carbohydrates, such as white bread, are a feast for the bacteria in your mouth. These two things can create a mild acid that may eat away at your enamel.

You should watch your soda consumption since it’s high in sugar and citric acid!

Dry Mouth

Even if you’re keeping your sugar and acid consumption down, you may run into trouble if you’re not making enough saliva. Salvia keeps your mouth hydrated, but it also works hard to neutralize acids in your mouth.

If you have a dry mouth from a medication or medical condition like diabetes, your saliva won’t be able to combat the effect of acid on your teeth, increasing your risk of tooth enamel loss.

Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding is sometimes called bruxism, which refers to an involuntary clenching or grinding of your teeth. This repeated movement can cause significant damage to your teeth over time. For example, you could erode your enamel, chip your teeth, or break one apart.

Sleep bruxism, as it’s called, can be a sign of stress, sleep disorders, or crooked teeth. It can be challenging to tell if you grind your teeth since it can happen while you sleep. Researchers estimate up to 20% of children, 16% of adults, and 6% of seniors grind their teeth at night.

If you grind your teeth, you can talk to your dentist about preventing enamel loss by wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard.

Acid Reflux

Acid doesn’t just come from our diet. When acid flows back up your esophagus, doctors call that acid reflux. When it happens chronically, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects about 1 in 6 Canadians.

If stomach acid travels through the esophagus and reaches your mouth, it can erode tooth enamel, particularly on the back teeth.

Symptoms of Tooth Enamel Loss

You may not notice any symptoms in the early stages of tooth enamel loss. But as acid strips more of your enamel away, it’ll be hard to ignore. Generally, it begins with the following symptoms:

  • Sensitivity to hot and cold or specific tastes.

  • Mild discolouration or yellowing

  • Chips, cracks, or indentations on teeth

When enough of your enamel is eroded, you’ll experience pain and increased temperature sensitivity. Eating anything acidic or spicy may also hurt, as your enamel can no longer protect the nerves inside your teeth.

Eventually, tooth enamel loss can lead to:

  • Cavities

  • Stained teeth

  • Rough edges on your teeth

  • Shiny spots

  • Sensitivity

  • Cracks and fractures in your teeth

If you notice these symptoms, visit your dentist as soon as possible. Early intervention is vital to prevent further enamel loss and protect your teeth from damage.

Will Tooth Enamel Grow Back?

Your enamel is mostly minerals and doesn’t have living cells to repair it like the rest of our body. However, small amounts of enamel erosion can be combated by remineralizing your teeth with fluoride. Unfortunately, once tooth enamel is gone, it can’t grow back.

If the enamel loss is too severe, your dentist might use other techniques to prevent further damage and restore your teeth’s function. Common dental treatments include:

  • Bonding

  • Veneers

  • Crowns

These procedures can give your teeth an artificial shell to replace enamel loss. The best option depends on the extent of damage, and you’ll have to discuss it with your dentist after a thorough dental exam.

Preventing Tooth Enamel Loss

Protecting your tooth enamel begins at home. Most enamel loss comes from acids sitting on your teeth and taking their time to eat away at the surface. It’s a good idea to brush after a meal, but at minimum, you should brush twice daily.

You should also floss once a day to clean out the hard-to-reach spots between your teeth. Using fluoride toothpaste can help remineralize your teeth and restore small amounts of enamel.

And, of course, visit us at Shine Dental at least every six months. Our team of specialists can track your enamel and help keep your smile bright and healthy. Book an appointment at one of our three convenient locations today!

Dental Health, Oral HealthJonathan Wiebe