Enamel flakes off and becomes cracked

Enamel is the hardest substance in our body, even harder than bone. Nevertheless, acids are capable of dissolving the enamel layer or damaging it in such a way that small cracks appear in the enamel and it becomes porous. The frequent consumption of acidic foods can damage the enamel in such a way that it becomes much thinner and more fragile, and more easily forms and breaks off microcracks.

This phenomenon is called erosion. This condition occurs mainly in patients with eating disorders. In bulimia, habitual vomiting occurs after eating.

The gastric fluid has a very low pH value and is a strong acid that repeatedly comes into contact with the front teeth during vomiting. This damages the enamel and makes it thinner so that it can break more easily. After vomiting, patients brush their teeth directly, brushing the roughened enamel with them.

Furthermore, after a blow or a fall, trauma and a fracture can occur in the tooth, which makes it easier to break the enamel, since there is already a fracture inside the tooth. This could also be interesting for you: Broken tooth – What to do? Another very common cause of chipped enamel can be pressing and grinding.Due to the excessive force of the teeth, the enamel can yield and become cracked. This phenomenon of grinding preferably occurs at night, when the body shuts down and the person tries to process everyday events.

Enamel becomes transparent – is this enamel degradation?

Erosion is the state in which the enamel appears transparent, because it becomes thinner and thinner as acids dissolve it. This problem often occurs in patients with genetically more susceptible enamel, who also consume many acidic foods. When consuming acidic foods, care should be taken not to brush the teeth immediately afterwards, as they are attacked by the acid and more enamel can be removed. If the affected person waits for about 20-30 minutes, the acids in the mouth are buffered by the saliva and the pH value in the oral cavity is neutralized so that the acids do not have any harmful effect on the enamel.