It is not possible to recover the enamel of the teeth naturally, once this dental layer is damaged or there is a natural way to restore it without causing even more damage to its structure. The enamel is the outer layer that covers the tooth, exercising an essential task protecting the inner part from wear. That is why the loss of enamel can end up leading to the loss of teeth.
But while you can't recover enamel naturally, there are ways to prevent and treat this condition. In the following article we are going to talk in depth about this topic, the symptoms it causes, the causes, prevention and possible solutions.
Does tooth enamel regenerate?
When we talk about tooth enamel, we refer to the outer layer that covers each tooth. It is the hardest tissue in our entire body, however, that does not mean that it is indestructible or that it does not wear out. With the passage of time and aggressions, tooth enamel loses its vigor, making our teeth more vulnerable and weaker against possible damage.
It is important to know that tooth enamel does not regenerate, in fact, and as we will see later, at a certain point it is impossible to restore its original capabilities. If we take into account the number of functions that teeth have in our body; When talking, chewing or biting, a loss of tooth enamel can be worrisome and facilitate tooth loss.
Damaged tooth enamel: symptoms
When the teeth appear, they do so even without mineralizing, in fact, it is during the first year after their appearance when they begin to harden. That is why you have to pay attention to the signs of teeth without enamel in children. On the other hand, another of the critical moments is during adult life, in this case not due to lack of maturation, but because the wear caused by the years can cause its thickness to decrease.
Below we explain the main symptoms and signs of damaged tooth enamel so you can identify it:
- The teeth have a yellow tone, this is a consequence of the wear of the enamel, which makes it possible to see the dentin.
- Pain and tenderness when eating cold, hot, or sweet things.
- Teeth splinter and crack.
- Clefts and small pits appear on the tooth surface.
- Stains appear on the tooth surface; these can be of different colors.
Lack of enamel on the teeth: causes
There is no single cause for the loss of tooth enamel. To begin with, time is the first culprit that this tissue weakens, however, there are many factors -which we can avoid- that increases the speed at which we lose enamel. Below we explain the main causes of the lack of enamel on the teeth:
- Diet: There are many foods that subject our teeth to harmful acidity. On the one hand we have carbonated or acidic drinks, which erode this tissue and weaken it. On the other hand, sugar products are the main culprits of the loss of enamel and the proliferation of cavities.
- Xerostomia: is the medical name of dry mouth, a pathology by which the person does not produce the necessary levels of saliva. If we take into account that saliva is the main protector of this tissue, its absence will cause an acceleration of its degradation. Here are some home remedies for dry mouth.
- Gastrointestinal problems: some digestive disorders that cause gastroesophageal reflux, heartburn or vomiting can cause enamel wear and tear due to the action of stomach acids. The same happens with disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.
- Medications: consumed periodically, there are medications, such as the popular aspirin, that can erode tooth enamel.
Tooth enamel loss: solutions
As we have already explained at the beginning, tooth enamel cannot be recovered naturally, however, there are some solutions to prevent it from wearing out more or to correct its loss. Obviously, these should always go hand in hand with the professional help of a qualified dentist.
This professional must make an examination and assessment of the general condition of each of the pieces, looking conscientiously at the state in which the enamel is and, in this way, be able to choose the treatment that is most appropriate in each case.
In cases where the deterioration of the enamel is already considerable, the best solution will be to place dental crowns or some type of implant, such as synthetic tooth enamel, to improve the conditions and function of the tooth.
On the other hand, when the loss of tooth enamel is in an initial phase, there is the possibility of performing certain treatments without invasion, such as remineralization, which can help improve the condition of the tooth. That is why early detection is so important, through periodic visits to the dentist, which will help us reduce complications and start possible treatments sooner and better.
Today there is still no possibility of regenerating teeth, in fact, the only thing that can be done is to put patches, because no material is able to replace the original 100%. As there is no natural or artificial way to recover tooth enamel in its best conditions, the prevention of its deterioration becomes essential. In the next section we talk about this prevention in depth.
Preventing rather than repairing tooth enamel
Organ transplantation, application of artificial valves, hip, knee or hand prostheses… the human being has joined his animal need for self-preservation with his technical capacity, being able to recompose structures of the body that have been damaged. However, that capacity is still limited and, as we have seen above, we are not yet able to fully regenerate the damaged enamel.
Since it cannot be cured, the best option is to prevent and, here, fortunately, we do know perfectly well what causes us harm and what we can do to prevent damaged tooth enamel, avoid risk factors and know what measures we can carry out. Here we explain them:
- Do not use your teeth to open bottles, pick up objects, eat your nails, chew plugs or bones.
- Carry out proper dental hygiene, brushing your teeth after each meal.
- Use a correct toothbrush and floss so that they do not damage the enamel.
- Use fluoride toothpaste to prevent wear.
- Do not chew gum.
- Maintain good hydration to prevent dry mouth and the creation of an acidic environment.
- Do not eat products high in sugar.
- Do not eat products with a lot of acidity.
- In case of suffering gastrointestinal problems, initiate timely treatment.
- Do not drink coffee, alcohol and other irritating beverages.
- No smoking.
