Are you finding that your teeth have become sensitive to temperature or touch? Or do they look somehow more transparent or discoloured? Or perhaps, when you examine them in your mirror, your back teeth seem to be pitted with tiny craters, or do the edges of your front teeth look a bit jagged?
Any of these could be the result of tooth erosion, which happens if a chemical reaction has eroded the hard enamel coating on your teeth.
If you have one or more of these symptoms, it would be a good idea to go visit your Dentist Epping at Rawson Dental in Epping. Your friendly dentist can then find out exactly what is going on and then set about stopping the erosion and remedying the damage as far as is possible.
What has most likely happened is that there is too much acid in your mouth and when it coats your teeth, it dissolves the outer, hard, protective enamel to leave the softer, more sensitive layer of dentine beneath exposed.
But, where on earth, would the acid come from?
There are several different sources. The acid in soft drinks and fruit juices is a prime candidate – so this gives you another reason to avoid those beverages in addition to their sugar content.
Another potential candidate is the introduction into your mouth of stomach acid if you have acid-reflux or bulimia.
Erosion of the enamel is serious, quite apart from the pain and inconvenience of tooth sensitivity. When dentine becomes exposed, the teeth become more prone to tooth decay, and also to cracking and fracturing. And both of those are things you want to avoid.
Over time, the process of erosion tends to speed up. It becomes more painful and leads to teeth shrinkage and poor bite, with their related difficulties for chewing and speaking. In the end, badly eroded teeth fall out.
If you do have teeth erosion, your Dentist Epping would want to explore what the cause could be for you, so the offending acid source can be eliminated or minimized at least. Further treatment options can be offered based on your precise situation.
So, if you wonder if you might have a problem with tooth erosion, pop along to your Dentist Epping as soon as you can. Don’t put it off! The sooner a suitable treatment option can be put in place for you, the better your oral health will be in the long term.
