Acid Erosion on Teeth

Teeth are not invincible, and they can weaken and erode the teeth surfaces, and if not addressed, this causes issues. Here, we’ll discuss a bit more about dental erosion, and what you can do to make sure that it doesn’t happen to you. 

What is It? 

Basically, your enamel is vital for the health of the tooth, and it protects the sensitive parts below from decay, daily wear and tear, temperatures, and even chemicals. These do get eroded over time if there are acids either initially or externally in contact with the teeth. Your body can’t repair this since there are not living cells in the teeth, so the key here is protection. Your enamel is about 96% mineral, making it some of the strongest substances out there. It’s not invincible though., with a lot of o of the teeth surfaces weakening over time as well, and your body can’t repair it, so it does cause major issues when it’s not taken care of or addressed either. In a lot of instances, it can definitely play a major role in the health and wellness of your teeth. 

Signs of Tooth Erosion 

There is certain signs that come with this, and here, we’ll go over them below. First and foremost, you’ve got tooth discoloration, where your enamel which is healthy will appear a bit white, but thew dentin is yellow, so you’ve got a yellow tinge that may be due to erosion as well. If you also notice the teeth look thinner along with being smaller, that also may be a sign. 

Finally, if you do notice that the teeth are a lot more sensitive, especially if you feel pain when you drink anything hot or cold, this is a big part of it. This is especially true if you also eat sour or sweet foods too. 

Causes of this 

The cayuse of this usually is due to acids. Acids are pretty much something that’s below your normal pH level, and if you continue to subject your teeth to it, over time it does cause the enamel to wear down. Soda or other carbonated drinks riddled with sugar causes your plaque to break down, eroding the enamel. Even diet sodas are acidic, and consuming soda does erode it in the same way drug use that’s elicit happens.  Drinking water is an alternative to morning soda. 

Another thing is acid reflux, or GERD, and it causes your stomach acids to sometimes regurgitate, and sometimes happen in your mouth. GERD is typically caused by tomatoes, chocolate, spicy foods, alcohol, or even coffee. This is usually treated with medication, and it might be something that you talk to your doctor about when looking for mor direct kinds of treatments. It also may happen due to pregnancy, since this happens with morning sickness. It can cause acid to sit around in your mouth, and it can be hard to deal with. Brushing your teeth after morning sickness is very important. 

Then there are swimming pools. Chlorine does target the teeth if you do get water in your mouth. You should always check the pH and chlorine levels before you go in, to make sur that it won’t wear down the acids within the teeth. 

How to treat this 

The best ways to treat this are to limit acidic beverages and foods, rinse with water as much as you can, and always wait for brushing, especially if you just had acidic food. You should always talk to your doctor too if you’re curious about what to do, and the best ways to treat this.

Important Things to Know About Root Canal

There can be many problems which can happen with a tooth. If you are facing a severe one, you may wonder if you need a root canal treatment. Root canal treatment is also known as endodontic therapy. This therapy is performed when a tooth’s pulp gets infected due to cavity, decay, chip, or anything which may have the capability to result in inflammation and infection in the tooth pulp. The procedure mainly involves use of a drill after which the infected pulp or nerve in the tooth is removed. After this removal, the tooth is sealed to prevent any further infection. An important thing that you need to know in this regard is that only a dentist or endodontist can tell you whether or not the root canal treatment can solve your case. Having that said, it would be worth mentioning some symptoms for which you can get root canal treatment.

Possible symptoms

Pain is one of the most important symptoms which can prompt you to think about getting root canal treatment. The important factor to mention is the intensity of pain. This intensity can range from mild to severe. The intensity can keep shifting between mild and severe throughout the day. Sometimes, it can get worse for you if you bite on anything a bit hard. Additional and abnormal sensitivity in the tooth is also the reason you may need a root canal treatment. All of these issues may involve swelling in the gums as common factor.

What you need to do?

When you feel any of the symptoms getting prominent in your teeth, you need to call your dentist immediately. You can contact your dentist over the phone or you can visit the dentist personally. You will need to explain everything happening to your oral cavity in order to let the dentist know fully about your case. Your dentist may recommend root canal treatment but he/she will immediately instruct you about getting relief from the pain until you will get your root canal treatment started. Generally, you can get relief from pain by applying ice pack on the cheek area right above the aching tooth.

What your dentist will do

When you discuss your problem with the dentist, your dentist will run necessary tests to examine your case. The most common way of examining a case requiring root canal treatment is the x-ray exam. After examination, your dentist will tell you whether you can get your problem solved with the help of medication or you are going to need to visit an endodontist. The dentists refer patients to endodontists when they find nerve damage in the tooth pulp.