Do you drink a lot of Pepsi, Coke or Dr. Pepper? If so, you could be hurting your tooth enamel. The surface of your teeth has a protective layer known as enamel, and it can wear down depending on how you treat your teeth over the years.
Things That Adversely Affect Your Teeth Enamel
What’s the main culprit for messing with the enamel of normally strong teeth? It’s got to be sugary foods and drinks, and you know Americans are pretty much addicted to these things, right? If you’re drinking 3 cans of Pepsi, for instance, per day, the sugar from those drinks make acids which soften and wear away your enamel. And if you eat sticky candies like Tootsie Rolls, they can cause damage, too. So what can you do? Try replacing some of your habits with glasses of water and foods that won’t bother your enamel, such as cheese.
Do you over-brush? This means you brush too fast and too hard and most people do this! Basically, if you want to keep your enamel strong, slow down and don’t apply so much pressure when you’re brushing your teeth.
Do you use fluoride? It’s known as nature’s cavity fighter for a reason: it strengthens enamel. Try using a fluoride toothpaste or using mouthwash with fluoride in it in order to strengthen your enamel.
If you’ve got heartburn, often, that means stomach acids can escape your stomach and end up in your mouth where they’ll erode your enamel. Do what you can to treat heartburn or other eating disorders, such as bulimia, because they threaten the enamel.
Do you think you experience “dry mouth” often? If so, that’s not good for the enamel. Saliva helps fight the effects of acidic foods. Therefore, drink more water. This is especially true if you workout, where your body (and mouth) craves more water.
If you grind your teeth at night, consider wearing a mouthguard to protect your teeth.
There are several things you can do to help keep your enamel strong.
If you need a reliable dentist to help your reach your oral health goals, learn how Genesee Dental can help.