At any given time, your mouth is full of bacteria. While some of the bacteria are good bacteria that help break down food and aid digestion, other bacteria are potentially harmful. The potentially harmful bacteria feed on sugars and starches to produce acid that can wear away tooth enamel and lead to cavities.
What Is Tooth Enamel?
Tooth enamel is the protective outer coating of your tooth. It shields the tooth pulp and nerve inside your tooth from damage. While tooth enamel is the hardest surface in your body, it is not invincible.
What Causes Damage to Tooth Enamel?
Tooth enamel can be damaged by chronic teeth grinding or a blow to the mouth, or chipped by chewing on ice or hard foods. It can also be weakened and destroyed by poor oral hygiene. Without proper brushing and flossing, the plaque builds up along your teeth and under your gumline. If not brushed, flossed, and rinsed away, plaque will harden into tartar, which encourages the growth of even more harmful plaque. Plaque produces toxins that irritate gums, damage tooth enamel, and cause cavities. If cavities are not promptly detected and treated, you can experience bad breath, pain, and sensitivity, and the inner part of your tooth can become infected and require root canal therapy to treat.
How Can You Repair Tooth Enamel?
Tooth enamel does not grow back, but early-stage decay can be restored through a process called remineralization. Remineralization improves the mineral content of your tooth enamel and helps fortify it against decay and damage. Toothpastes, mouthwashes, and tap water containing fluoride, as well as foods containing calcium and phosphorus, can aid the remineralization process. These minerals help strengthen tooth enamel and protect your teeth from further damage. For teeth that are heavily compromised by decay or damage, we offer several services to restore your smile to full strength and function.
Preventive & Restorative Dental Care in Calgary, AB
At Kherani Dental at Aspen, our team keeps a close eye on your tooth enamel during your biannual professional tooth cleanings and exams. If we detect enamel damage or weakness, we may recommend an in-office fluoride treatment, improvements to your oral hygiene routine, or a supplemental fluoride mouth rinse at home. And if your tooth enamel requires treatment for something like a crack, cavity treatment, or chip, we are here to help.
To ask our team any questions about tooth enamel or to schedule your next visit to our office, please call us at (403) 263-0055.
