Skip to main content

Is your Enamel at Risk of Erosion?

Experiencing tooth sensitivity, noticing discolouration or small chips/cracks around your teeth is a possible sign your tooth enamel has eroded. There are several ways tooth enamel may be put at risk of erosion.
The most common ways include:
1) Clenching/grinding your teeth.
2) Brushing your teeth too hard.
3) Plaque build-up.
4) Acid reflux.

The team at Woollahra Dental Practice can help by protecting your teeth from future erosion caused by clenching/grinding your teeth (known as bruxism). They can create a perfectly fitting mouth guard/splint. This guard will create a safety barrier between your teeth that can be worn night or day depending on your current bruxism pattern.

If you have abrasions in your enamel (little lines or rough edges across your teeth) as a result of brushing too hard or as a result of plaque build-up, one of Woollahra Dental Practice’s Hygienists can help. They will take the time to show you a new brushing technique.  They will also demonstrate and explain how using an Electric Tooth Brush removes more plaque and is more effective than manual brushing.

Dr Tony Ancell, who has a holistic approach to dentistry, can look at the potential causes of acid reflux erosion to teeth. Studies have shown sleep apnoea to be a predominate cause of acid reflux erosion.  He will provide you with an at home sleep study and a sleep appliance, such as a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), which has been shown to help reduce acid reflux occurring at night-time.

However, if a preventative approach isn’t possible then an active restoration approach will be necessary to restore your teeth. Depending on the size and area of enamel that has eroded a simple filling could do just the trick. Alternatively, restorations such as lengthening, crowns or veneers may be required to fully cover and protect the tooth from further erosion. Teeth that are left untreated put the tooth’s root at risk and may require root canal therapy.

Give Woollahra Dental Practice a call today on 02 9363 5690 to schedule an appointment with one of their friendly, helpful team members. Loss of enamel doesn’t have to mean the loss of your beautiful smile.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

HOW TO EAT RIGHT FOR YOUR BODY TYPE - What is somatotype?

Find more about Dr. Anthony Ancell  Many people think that “body type” just describes the way someone looks. In fact, your body type can also provide information about how you respond to food intake and about your hormonal and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) characteristics. Physique characteristics can thus be linked to metabolic differences between individuals. Once someone establishes their body type, they can then adjust nutrient intake to maximize body composition and health related goals. There are three general categories of body types (somatotypes): ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. Very few people fall perfectly into one of the three categories. People are often a mix of characteristics. Additionally, years of training and good nutrition can change the outward appearance of one’s body. For instance, a bodybuilder might be mistaken for a “natural” mesomorph when in fact, s/he is really an endomorph who’s trained and dieted hard; or an ectomorph who’s spent ...

Caffeine and Sleep

At Woollahra Dental Practice would like to share some interesting information from The Sleep Health Foundation about caffeine and sleep How can caffeine affect my sleep? Caffeine is a drug that acts as a stimulant, both mentally and physically. It is found in many drinks and foods that are common in our everyday life. These include tea, coffee, chocolate and cola drinks. Many people do not think of it as a drug. It can be bad for your sleep in three ways. Firstly it can make it harder to go to sleep. Secondly it can make you sleep more lightly and wake up more often during the night. Thirdly, it may make you have to get up to go to the toilet during the night. Some people need more caffeine than others to have the same effect. As a rule, caffeine takes about an hour to reach peak levels in your body. Its effects can last from four to six hours, but your body needs about 24 hours to completely eliminate it. Many people who consume a lot of caffeine think that it no longer stops ...

Carb tolerance for your body type

Coming to the festive holiday season, we might need to be more aware of what our bodies can and cannot tolerate. In a previous blog post about BODY TYPES  we discussed the characteristics of the different body types and how to eat for each type. Regardless of your body type, body composition, or overall health status, your ability to handle carbohydrate-dense foods is greatly improved the more active you are. This means that the best time to eat a majority of those starchy (or, less ideally, sugary) foods is when you’re most physically active. Depending on your body type, your carb tolerance and needs are different and your strategy should be different to match. Many people think that “body type” just describes the way someone looks. In fact, your body type can also provide information about how you respond to food intake and about your hormonal and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) characteristics. Curious about your body type? Ask Dr. Anthony Ancell from Woollahra Dent...