Understanding Tooth Enamel Loss

Dr. Nicholas Polito and the rest of the team at Dental Health and Beauty meet thousands of people every year who are concerned about the damaging effects of tooth enamel loss. We’re proud to provide high quality tooth enamel care and protection in the greater Libertyville, IL area and encourage people to educate themselves about tooth anatomy in order to improve their oral health.

Understanding Your Tooth Enamel—And What Can Make it Wear Down Over Time

Tooth enamel is a thin protective layer covering your teeth. It’s main job is to protect your teeth from chemicals and temperatures, as well as during the normal day-to-day actions of teeth themselves (e.g., biting, grinding, and chewing).

The main thing that causes tooth enamel to wear down and degrade over time is excessive exposure to acids, which can happen due to a variety of reasons, including:

• Diet high in sugar and starches
• Acid reflux disease (GERD) and other digestive problems
• Chronic dry mouth or low saliva production
• Excessive or chronic use of certain medications
• Genetics
• Plaque build up on your teeth
• Environmental factors (e.g., grinding teeth in your sleep, stress, etc.)
• Certain health conditions, including bulimia (in which a person frequently purges and vomits their food)

Signs and Symptoms of Tooth Enamel Loss

Tooth enamel itself is actually translucent—the white part of the tooth is actually from the dentin directly underneath the enamel. If enamel begins to wear away, this dentin can become stained, leading to brown or yellow discoloration.