Every tooth is built to stand up to a certain amount of wear and tear. One of the best things that you can do in order to maintain a healthy smile is to honor your smile’s natural structure, and protect it as much as possible.
For example, dental enamel, which is the outermost layer of your tooth, is designed to protect your inner tooth from infection, damage and irritation. Healthy dental enamel is resilient and strong; unfortunately, there are a number of physical materials and processes that can degrade your enamel over time. Today our Glendale dentists are providing an overview of these potential dental dangers.
Harsh and abrasive consumables: if you regularly chomp on ice, mints, or hard candies, you could be damaging your dental enamel. Chewing on hard things can cause micro-cracks in your enamel, and cause it to weaken and thin.
Stiff bristles: many dental patients are actually using toothbrushes that are too abrasive for their smiles. Talk to your dentist about whether you should clean your smile with soft, medium, or firm bristles. Most people do well with soft bristles, as stiffer bristles can actually lead to gum tissue recession and dental enamel thinning.
Bruxism: you may also find that your dental enamel starts to wear down if you suffer from bruxism, which is chronic dental grinding and clenching. If you suffer from bruxism, you might be grinding your teeth in the day, or when you are asleep. Talk to your dentist about steps that you can take to protect your smile—it is much better to prevent bruxism-related damage, rather than treat it after the fact.
Stay alert for these physical threats to your oral health. And, as always, feel free to reach out to our Glendale dentists if you have questions or if you need additional guidance.