How can I rebuild tooth enamel?
The human body cannot reproduce dental enamel. The enamel-forming cells perish during the child’s development after the one-time enamel production. This means that as soon as the enamel has a defect, the enamel at this point is lost forever.
Toothpastes that promise to produce artificial enamel that is brushed on while brushing cannot keep their advertising promises. Because artificial enamel cannot be formed either. Therefore it is not advisable.
The only possibility to repair the enamel defect is the filling therapy. In this procedure the lesion is cleaned, if necessary the causative caries is removed and a filling material is inserted. This material can be plastic, cement or amalgam.
In case of a more extensive lesion in the enamel, it can also be replaced by a veneer or inlay made of zircon ceramics or gold. The size of the defect is decisive for the selection of the restorative material. The filling provides full protection for the tooth at the damaged area.
Prevent enamel degradation
In order to specifically prevent enamel degradation, it is generally necessary to fundamentally change one’s own eating habits. From a medical point of view, it is not sensible to completely avoid foods containing natural acids (e.g. fruit), but a reduction of foods containing artificial acids can enormously promote enamel health.For this reason, acidic drinks such as sports drinks, soft drinks and lemonades should be consumed only rarely or not at all. Beverages that contain a high percentage of calcium and phosphate compounds in addition to the acidic components are considered less harmful due to the neutralizing properties of these ingredients.
If acidic food and/or drinks cannot be avoided, at least the contact time between acid and enamel should be kept as short as possible. For this reason, the use of drinking straws can greatly reduce the risk of enamel decay. In addition, care should be taken to consider a suitable form of oral hygiene after the consumption of acidic foods and drinks.
For example, chewing special dental care chewing gums can neutralize the pH-value reduction within the oral cavity caused by the acidic food and reduce the harmful influences in this way. Brushing your teeth, on the other hand, should not be done within an hour of eating acidic foods. The reason for this is that otherwise the tooth enamel, which is attacked and softened by the acids, can be removed directly with the brushes.
Since a pronounced reduction of enamel can also be caused by frequent vomiting or a so-called reflux disease, treatment of the underlying disease should be considered in such cases. In addition, the mouth should be rinsed thoroughly with clean water after vomiting before the toothbrush is used.
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