Your teeth are able to bite and chew your food without issue thanks to their durable outer shell called enamel. Over time, this strong enamel might sustain damage and begin to erode. Dental erosion can happen due to underlying health problems like acid reflux, poor oral hygiene, bruxism, aging, and many more risk factors.
You can work with your dentist to keep your teeth strong and healthy enough to resist enamel erosion. However, if your teeth do begin to weaken, you will need intervention from your dentist to prevent the issue from worsening.
You can know when to seek dental attention when you recognize some of the signs of this type of dental damage. Read on to learn about three symptoms you may notice in your smile that could point to dental erosion.
Tooth Discoloration
Enamel erosion can make your teeth appear discolored in multiple ways. The weakening of your dental structure from this damage will put your teeth in greater danger of staining. Staining agents can more easily absorb into the teeth to leave dark stains behind on your smile.
Eroded tooth enamel will also expose underlying dentin, which can look yellow. This type of dental damage can cause demineralization as well, or a loss of calcium. The resulting weak spots might present as creamy white discoloration on the tooth.
Dental erosion can create a translucent effect on your teeth too. The thinned enamel might start to appear see-through at the edges, disrupting your smile’s appearance. So if you notice changes in your tooth color, talk to your dentist about the issue.
Changes in Tooth Shape
Dental erosion will affect the color of your smile, but it can also alter the shape of your teeth. Damaged enamel can wear down at a faster rate, and the edges of your teeth may start to look jagged rather than smooth.
When your teeth weaken in this way, you could face a greater danger of cracking or chipping a tooth. This tooth breakage will also create a vulnerable spot in your smile where you could develop other dental concerns. So do not ignore tooth breakage or other changes in your dental health.
Tooth Sensitivity Pain
Enamel serves as a shield over the more sensitive inner layers of your tooth. So if you suffer from enamel erosion, the dentin becomes exposed to potential threats. Dentin contains nerves that could transmit a pain signal to your brain if stimulated by food or other external items.
The resulting pain is known as tooth sensitivity. While the pain might go away with the removal of the stimulus, it can be intense in the moment. It may also affect your diet or oral behaviors, which may lead to further health concerns.
Tooth pain of any kind will warrant attention from a dentist. Find relief from tooth sensitivity with targeted treatment by calling your dentist about this problem as soon as you can.