Enamel erosion 101: A guide to dental erosion symptoms and prevention

Enamel is a very robust protective layer of the tooth crown. However, as strong as it is, enamel is unfortunately not invulnerable. External forces can lead to the so-called demineralisation of your teeth, softening the enamel and – in time – leading to enamel loss and transparent teeth.

Here we’ll explore everything you need to know about enamel erosion including:

• What is enamel?
• Symptoms of enamel loss and defects
• Ten common causes of enamel erosion
• Six essential tips to protect your oral health, strengthen tooth enamel and avoid tooth erosion at the gum line and across the surface of your teeth

So, read on for our comprehensive guide to enamel and dental erosion so you can begin your journey to healthy teeth.

What is enamel?

Enamel is the hard outer surface of your tooth crown¹ which is made up of minerals such as calcium and phosphorus as well as water and proteins.² It serves as the protective layer to insulate the dentin, pulp, blood vessels, and nerves inside from external substances that could cause damage and sensitivity.

Symptoms of enamel loss and defects

The fact that enamel protects the inner workings of your tooth shows just how important it is to your oral health. This makes it essential to care for it and understand the symptoms of dental erosion to avoid irreversible damage.

Enamel erosion is a slow-advancing process. In its initial stages, you may not even notice it – it can only be diagnosed by a dentist using roughness measurements.³ As tooth erosion at the gum line or other surface areas of your tooth progress, you may notice the following symptoms of enamel loss:

• Translucent teeth (or fully transparent teeth if the damage is severe)
• Thinner-looking teeth that have lost their shine
• Discoloured teeth
• Cracks in the surface of your teeth
• Changes to the shape of your teeth
• Pain or sensitivity

Tip: It is important that you and your family visit your dentist regularly, since they are able to detect enamel erosion early, and can help guide you through the next steps to prevent translucent teeth resulting in further damage. We recommend booking an appointment at least once a year⁴, or sooner if you believe there are issues at hand.

What causes enamel loss?

Now that you know what symptoms to keep an eye out for, you’re probably wondering what causes the damage in the first place. The top causes of enamel erosion are:⁵⁶

1. Acidic foods and drinks including fruit juice
2. Sour food and drinks including citrus and candy
3. Improper or inefficient oral hygiene
4. Dry mouth
5. Acid reflux (also known as heartburn)
6. Medications such as antihistamines and aspirin
7. Alcohol misuse
8. Eating disorders where vomiting is involved
9. Environmental causes such as wear and tear or stress
10. Genetics

Tip: In many cases, learning how to brush your teeth properly will help to prevent enamel loss and is a quick and easy fix! Our simple guide will show you the way to brush properly with both a manual and an electric toothbrush.

Can you repair existing dental erosion?

Once enamel is gone, it is gone forever.⁷ But just because you can’t get it back, doesn’t mean your teeth can’t be healthy.

Preventing enamel erosion is key to protecting your teeth from irreversible damage, but what happens if you already have an enamel defect? Ultimately, a trip to your dentist is required. Depending on the extent of the damage, they will be able to offer a couple of options for your enamel loss⁸:

1. Minor enamel loss can be ‘fixed’ by tooth bonding. This process will help to protect the tooth from any further dental erosion, as well as help with oral aesthetics.
   
2. Major enamel loss will need a crown or veneer. If the damage and decay have gone beyond the help of tooth bonding, your dentist will recommend covering the tooth with a crown or veneer to prevent any further enamel erosion and protect your ongoing oral health.

These two options can help you if you already have transparent teeth from enamel loss, but ideally, you want to prevent the damage from becoming so extensive these steps are required. Read on for our guide to preventing dental erosion.

How to strengthen tooth enamel to prevent enamel loss

When teeth become transparent and you have an enamel defect already in place, it may be irreversible, but there are ways to strengthen tooth enamel from the comfort of your home in order to prevent dental erosion and enamel loss before it becomes an issue. Here are our top tips to help you avoid enamel erosion:

1. Ensure you follow a good dental hygiene routine. Thorough brushing is the best precaution against enamel erosion. You should brush twice a day for at least two minutes per event. For added protection, add daily flossing and an antibacterial mouthwash to your routine.
   Tip: Ensuring you are using the right toothbrush is important if your teeth become transparent. A modern brush, such as the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean will help you to clean your teeth efficiently and gently at the same time. Its integrated pressure sensor alerts you when you are pushing too hard and helps you to protect your enamel.
   
2. Opt for a tooth-healthy diet. Research has shown there are a number of foods – and drinks – that can be beneficial for your oral health. Increasing your consumption of calcium-rich food including dairy products such as milk and cheese, tofu, salmon, and leafy greens can help protect your teeth from enamel loss.⁹
   Tip: Although we all love a treat every now and again, try to avoid consuming sweets, crisps, fizzy drinks, and other sugary and acidic products too often. The bacteria in your mouth thrive on sugar and they can lead to increased production of plaque.¹⁰
   
3. Invest in specialist dental care products. There are plenty of products available that offer enamel-strengthening qualities. Using these can help to strengthen tooth enamel and complement your daily oral hygiene. If you’re not sure which to purchase, ask your dentist.
   
4. Drink plenty of water. Increasing your water intake is an easy way to increase salivation which helps flush away the plaque-causing bacteria in your mouth. In addition, you can use it to rinse your mouth after the consumption of highly acidic or sugary foods and drinks.¹¹
   
5. Chew sugar-free gum containing xylitol. In between toothbrushing, chewing gum can aid in protecting you against dental erosion. Similar to drinking water, chewing gum helps support salivation, and prevents bacteria from being able to stick to your teeth.¹²
   
6. Add green tea to your daily routine. Did you know that green tea is full of health-promoting substances and beneficial to our entire body? It also contains fluorides that strengthen tooth enamel.¹³Tip: Always brush your teeth well after drinking green tea, since tannins contained in the tea could lead to tooth discolouration, which is an unwanted side-effect to using this method in your search of enamel strengthening tips.

Appropriate and efficient dental care will not just help you avoid transparent teeth and enamel loss but also prevent dental illnesses such as caries and gingivitis. With this guide, you know exactly how to care for your teeth so in the end you can maintain a healthy mouth and show a beautiful smile free from dental erosion.