Protect Your Tooth Enamel With These Tips
You may not pay much attention to your tooth enamel, but it is important that you take good care of it. The enamel is the top surface of your teeth, providing a protective layer over your teeth to keep them from decay. If your enamel starts to wear away, it can make your teeth more sensitive to temperatures, sugar, and acidic foods and drinks. Here are some ways to protect your enamel.
Combine Non-Acidic Foods With Acidic Ones
The general advice given to people at risk of their tooth enamel wearing away prematurely is to avoid acidic foods and drinks. While this is good advice, you shouldn't avoid healthy foods that might have a high acid content, such as fresh fruit. Instead of avoiding fruit, just make sure you balance it out with the same amount of foods or drinks without acid, such as having dairy products with your fruit, like in a fruit smoothie with milk and yogurt.
Switch to an Enamel-Strengthening Toothpaste
Keeping good care of your teeth is important at all times, but especially when you are trying to protect your tooth enamel. It is a good idea to switch to a toothpaste that helps to strengthen your enamel. This provides a layer of protection from acidic foods and drinks, while also keeping it stronger so it can last longer. If you aren't sure which one to choose, ask your dentist for recommendations.
Be Careful What You Eat
In addition to acidic drinks, you also need to be careful about carbonated drinks. These also have the tendency to cause acid erosion, which is how the enamel on your teeth wears away. This means avoiding soda, energy drinks, and other carbonated beverages. If you still want your soft drink each day with your lunch, don't swish it around your mouth. Instead, try to keep it away from your teeth by drinking through a straw.
Wear a Night Guard
If you have found evidence that you are grinding your teeth at night while you sleep, your enamel might be at risk. This eventually causes the enamel to thin and wear away, which can cause damage to the tooth surface and also lead to tooth decay. If you frequently wake up with jaw pain or headaches, it is likely due to grinding your teeth. Speak to your dentist about having a custom bite guard, which is a type of mouth guard you wear at night while you sleep.
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