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How To Prevent Tooth Enamel Corrosion

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The hardest substance of your body isn't your bones like many people assume, but your tooth enamel. This is a substance that coats your teeth in order to protect them from decay and damage. If you have tooth sensitivity or yellowing teeth, you might already be losing some of the enamel, but that doesn't mean it is too late to protect it. Here are some ways to protect your tooth enamel and protect the health of your teeth.

Avoid Acidic Foods and Drinks

One of the worst things you can do is have a lot of foods and drinks that contain acid. These may seem harmless, but over time, they can wear away your tooth enamel. This includes acidic fruits like lemons and oranges, drinks like juice and coffee, and acidic foods like dairy products, fish, and turkey. While you can still consume these, you should cut back on them as much as possible. On the days when you want some healthy fruit juice or want to drink your morning cup of coffee, try to use a straw and rinse your mouth with water after drinking.

Don't Take Medication With a High Acid Content

Believe it or not, there are some medications that may contain a lot of acid, which can result in losing your tooth enamel. Taking a few aspirin for a headache every few months probably won't do much, but if you're taking it constantly, it can eventually lead to corrosion of your tooth enamel. Antihistamines also tend to be high in acid content, so be careful how much you take them. Like foods and drinks, rinsing your mouth with water after taking these medicines can help.

Wear a Dental Guard For Bruxism

If you have been known to grind your teeth at night while you sleep, you could be grinding away your tooth enamel. It is important that you put a stop to it by wearing a dental guard. Bruxism, or grinding your teeth, isn't always easy to stop naturally, so you need to wear a mouth guard that covers your teeth for extra protection. You know you grind your teeth if there is physical evidence of the enamel wearing away in certain areas, or if you have persistent teeth or jaw pain when waking up.

Increase Your Saliva

Dry mouth can also lead to the tooth enamel wearing away, so if you find that you don't have a lot of natural saliva, you will need to work to restore it. Try drinking more water and reducing acidic beverages, since they can cause more mouth dryness.

For a local dentist, click the link http://northwestdental.com/ or do an online search. 


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