Dental enamel is the protective, outermost layer of your smile. The more that you can do to keep enamel strong and healthy, the better your long-term dental prognosis. Plus, fresh and healthy enamel looks white and lustrous!
If you want take steps to protect your smile, you need to start by understanding how enamel becomes damaged in the first place. Keep reading to learn more from our Novato dentists…
Bacteria
It’s impossible to completely eliminate harmful oral bacteria, but there are steps we can take to minimize their strength and numbers. When oral bacteria are able to infiltrate your teeth and gum tissue, you will develop dental cavities and periodontal disease, respectively. You’ll also likely battle bad breath, as bacteria emit unpleasant odors when they feed and grow.
Acid
Acidic substances as well as oral acids cause dental enamel to become softer and weaker. The good news is that saliva helps to remineralize enamel, but you want to be mindful about how and when you consume acidic treats. One important tip: wait for about twenty to thirty minutes after acid exposure to brush your teeth—the abrasion of your brush can actually be harmful when your enamel is in a demineralized state.
Accidents
You also want to take steps to protect your smile from environmental damage. If, for example, you participate in contact or extreme sports, talk to your dentist about getting a personalized mouthguard. Additionally, refrain from chewing on things like ice and hard candies in order to preserve healthy enamel density.
We hope that you have found this overview on enamel health to be informative and helpful. Remember that you can always contact our Novato dentists if you have questions, or if you want to set up a personal consultation with our team.