Preventive Dentistry Tips to Know About Tooth Enamel

Preventive Dentistry Snellville, GA

Almost everyone understands the importance behind brushing your teeth and the role tooth enamel plays in preventative dentistry and maintaining dental health.

However, many underestimate the unique quality that enamel has and don’t have a complete understanding of how enamel works, which in return makes it far more difficult to take the necessary precautions to ensure they maintain healthy tooth enamel.

Strong Tooth Enamel Is Crucial for Healthy Teeth

Of course, no one wants to see their tooth enamel begin to diminish. Not only can a cavity be painful, but those with enamel erosion are left with a less attractive smile.

With that said, many individuals don’t understand how tooth enamel works and do not use preventive dentistry to stop any erosion from occurring, despite understanding the vital role enamel plays in dental health. Here are five facts about tooth enamel that should give a better idea as to what enamel is and how to prevent erosion from occurring in your mouth.

Tooth enamel is strong, but it still needs support

Tooth enamel is one of the stronger substances in the human body. Considering the average human jaw can exert 171 pounds of force, this fact is extremely good news.

If tooth enamel were not so durable, people would be much more at risk of dental health concerns, so let’s start by being thankful for the excellent strength of enamel. However, tooth enamel is still vulnerable to erosion, which is why it is important to practice good oral hygiene.

Enamel requires a steady supply of minerals

What’s the secret behind the super-strength of enamel? If you dig down into the construction of enamel, the strength can be attributed to the minerals calcium and phosphate.

Although these two minerals help make tooth enamel remarkably resilient, they require a steady supply of mineral support, which is why fluoride treatment is the most highly recommended way to strengthen your enamel.

Acid producing bacteria cause tooth decay

If tooth enamel is so durable, then why is enamel erosion so common? Quite simply, minerals have a kryptonite, which is acid producing bacteria.

When enamel is exposed to increased amounts of eroding substances, such as sugar then the healthy, supportive minerals go to war against the harmful acid producing bacteria. If the bacteria begins to erode more than the minerals that are in the enamel, then erosion begins to occur.

Excessive force when brushing wears down tooth enamel

Regardless of how hard enamel may be, constantly putting excessive pressure on anything will wear it down over time.

The same concept applies to tooth enamel. When teeth are bombarded continuously with excessive force when brushing, the enamel will begin to weaken, which will eventually lead to chipping or erosion.

Enamel erosion is irreversible

The worst part about enamel erosion is that it is impossible to reverse, meaning once it’s gone it will never grow back. While eroded enamel can be treated artificially, it is best to protect enamel and make it last a lifetime.

Otherwise, expensive filling procedures will be the only option for ensuring the quality of dental health and a great looking smile.

We are always here to help in guiding you on making the best choices for your tooth enamel and oral health. Give us a call and let us help you in making the right decision, and giving you all the information you need to keep your teeth and enamel in good shape. 

Call (770) 284-9171 today to reach North Road Family Dental for more preventive dentistry tips. 

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Preventative Dentistry in Snellville, GA.

Recent Posts

How Often A Dentist Recommends A Dental Cleaning

Dental cleanings are one of the most important parts of maintaining good oral health, but few people know how often they should schedule them. It's important to know this information so that you can keep your smile healthy and strong well into the future.Most dentists will recommend going in for a dental cleaning every six…

Why You Need A Professional Teeth Cleaning

A professional teeth cleaning from a general dentist is one of the most important aspects of maintaining good oral health. Many individuals are under the impression that oral hygiene at home is enough to maintain good oral health, but that is a common misconception. Visiting a general dentist on a regular basis is necessary.Outlined below…

5 Things A Dental Cleaning Does For You

It is a known fact that routine dental cleaning is an important part of oral health. The American Dental Association recommends that people with an overall healthy mouth visit a dentist for a regular checkup and cleaning once every six months. Those with specific dental issues or certain underlying health conditions may need to schedule…

How Often Are Dental Checkups Needed

Going in for a dental checkup might not be at the top of your priority list, but it should be. There could be many reasons why you have not been to the dentist’s office for a year or longer. Life can get busy, or you may have fears or anxieties about these visits. Whatever has…

Recent Posts

Wisdom Tooth Extraction And Top Reasons It Is Recommended

Wisdom Tooth Extraction And Top Reasons It Is Recommended

Understanding more about wisdom tooth extraction and why it is necessary is a great idea. Many people need their wisdom teeth extracted from their mouths in order to support overall good oral health. This extra set of teeth can potentially cause problems with the existing teeth, making it necessary for anyone whose wisdom teeth are…

What Can Happen If You Don&#    ;t Get A Chipped Tooth Treated?

What Can Happen If You Don't Get A Chipped Tooth Treated?

Getting in a car accident, falling off your bike, or even just brushing up against something sharp can all result in a chipped tooth, which may not seem serious at first, but it's always best to get them treated by your dentist as soon as possible to prevent tooth decay and damage in the long…