One of the unfortunate aspects of aging is tooth wear. Depending on your diet, years of biting and chewing can cause enamel along the biting surfaces to erode. Your body also can't replace enamel — so when it comes to teeth it's not a question of if, but how much your teeth will wear during your lifetime.
To make matters worse, certain conditions cause tooth wear to accelerate. Teeth softened by acids or tooth decay, for example, erode faster than healthier teeth. So will grinding habits: often fueled by stress, these include chewing on hard items like nails, pencils or bobby pins.
You may also grind your teeth, usually while you sleep. Normal biting and chewing produces pressure of about 13 to 23 pounds per square inch: grinding your teeth at night can well exceed this, even up into the hundreds of pounds.
There are some things we can do to alleviate these issues. For clenching and grinding habits, one primary step is to address stress through counseling or biofeedback therapy. For nighttime teeth grinding we can create a bite guard to wear while you sleep that will prevent your teeth from generating abnormal forces.
Finally, it's important that you take care of your teeth through daily oral hygiene, regular office cleanings and checkups, and a nutritious diet for maintaining strong bones and teeth. Keeping your teeth free from diseases that could compromise your enamel as well as other aspects of your mouth will help them stay as strong as possible.
If you would like more information on slowing the rate of tooth wear as you age, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “How and Why Teeth Wear.”
Comments:
Peter Brusco DMD
Kinnelon, NJ 07405
Call for Pricing OptionsPatient Education
Archive:
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
Tags
- celebrity smiles (56)
- dental implants (9)
- dental insurance (1)
- orthodontic treatment (12)
- braces (8)
- oral health (18)
- fluoride (2)
- mouthguard (2)
- dental injuries (1)
- pediatric dentistry (11)
- tooth decay (7)
- cosmetic dentistry (12)
- sealants (2)
- air abrasion (1)
- dental injury (4)
- crown (1)
- cold sore (2)
- oral hygiene (17)
- root canal (4)
- gummy smile (1)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- gum disease (13)
- wisdom teeth (4)
- bad breath (2)
- tmj disorders (3)
- tmd (1)
- tooth pain (3)
- dental anxiety (1)
- chipped teeth (1)
- crowns (6)
- tooth erosion (1)
- periodontal disease (3)
- periodontal surgery (1)
- orthodontics (5)
- tooth grinding (1)
- mouthguards (3)
- sedation dentistry (1)
- dental emergency (1)
- tooth wear (1)
- teeth whitening (1)
- porcelain veneers (2)
- sugar (1)
- nutrition (5)
- bonding (1)
- flossing (2)
- dentures (1)
- restorative dentistry (3)
- root canal treatment (3)
- teething (2)
- laser dentistry (2)
- veneers (2)
- missing teeth (1)
- eating disorders (1)
- teeth grinding (1)
- oral cancer (2)
- chipped tooth (4)
- snoring (3)
- sleep apnea (3)
- family dentist (1)
- fillings (1)
- dental visits (1)
- bone grafting (1)
- crown lengthening (2)
- retainers (1)
- gum recession (1)
- retainer (1)
- Damaged Teeth (1)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- sports drinks (1)
- pulp capping (1)
- baby teeth (1)
- Extraction (1)
- Crowns & Bridges (1)
- Preventive Dentistry (1)
- apicoectomy (1)
- fluroide (1)
- jaw pain (2)
- toothache (1)
- Tooth Filling (1)
- dental implant (2)
- gerd (1)
- cleft lip (1)
- cleft palate (1)
- oral surgery (1)
- dental visit (1)
- Cosmetic Dentistry Procedure (1)
- smoking (1)
- lingual braces (1)
