Find Us
My Blog
Archive:
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
Tags
- celebrity smiles (60)
- oral health (18)
- nutrition (2)
- orthodontics (8)
- jaw surgery (1)
- dental implant (2)
- veneers (3)
- inflammation (1)
- gum disease (5)
- periodontal disease (2)
- bleeding gums (1)
- gingivitis (1)
- oral hygiene (19)
- vitamins (1)
- oral cancer (2)
- dental injury (5)
- mouthguard (2)
- tads (1)
- cosmetic dentistry (8)
- dental implants (12)
- braces (7)
- baby teeth (1)
- pediatric dentistry (9)
- bridge (2)
- fluoride (2)
- tooth grinding (1)
- bacteria (1)
- smile makeover (4)
- tooth decay (3)
- root canal (3)
- retainers (2)
- chipped teeth (1)
- crowns (5)
- diabetes (3)
- sealants (1)
- tmj disorders (1)
- tmd (1)
- tmj (1)
- teeth wear (1)
- orthodontic treatment (9)
- sinus surgery (1)
- bad breath (2)
- bone grafting (1)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- eating disorders (1)
- bonding (1)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- mouthguards (2)
- root canal treatment (4)
- wisdom teeth (4)
- fillings (1)
- dentistry (1)
- pediatric care (1)
- tooth wear (1)
- burning mouth syndrome (1)
- partial dentures (1)
- teeth grinding (1)
- dentures (2)
- air abrasion (1)
- teething (1)
- chipped tooth (2)
- thumb sucking (3)
- porcelain veneers (3)
- tooth pain (2)
- teeth whitening (2)
- removable partial denture (1)
- retainer (2)
- antibiotics (1)
- periodontal (gum) disease (1)
- palatal expander (1)
- clear aligners (2)
- oral heath (1)
- bone loss (1)
- partial denture (1)
- sensitive teeth (1)
- laser dentistry (2)
- sugar (1)
- shingles (1)
- flossing (1)
- x-ray (1)
- topical fluoride (1)
- pulp capping (1)
- marijuana (1)
- oral-health (1)
- tooth extraction (1)
- toothache (2)
Categories:
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.”
