Teeth are one of the most important and hard-working parts of the body. They are constantly chewing at every meal and on display with every smile. Our teeth are under a lot of pressure, and we want to keep them healthy for as long as possible. Even if you maintain a consistent brushing and flossing schedule, some parts of your daily routine may still be harming your teeth. We want to help you understand the small changes you can make in your everyday life to help maintain your teeth for a lifetime!

What is abrasion and erosion?

Abrasion and erosion are two ways that your teeth can be damaged by “harmless” habits. Both of these processes involve the loss of enamel, the outer layer of your teeth. This wearing down of the structure is caused by factors that can physically or chemically impact the enamel. Abrasion is when the tooth structure is impaired due to physical force imparted on the tooth by a foreign object. Erosion is when the outer layer of the tooth deteriorates due to a chemical reaction with highly acidic foods or beverages or acid coming up from the stomach.

Both of these processes have a slow progression. It is difficult to notice the impact of these harmful habits until it is too late. Abrasion and erosion are problematic for your teeth because the elimination of the outer layer, enamel, exposes the inner portion of our teeth, dentin. As the enamel wears away, the teeth become more sensitive to hot, cold, sugary and acidic foods or beverages. Additionally, there is an increase in the prevalence of bacteria which can lead to a severe infection or even eventual extraction of impacted teeth.

What causes abrasion and erosion?

Dental abrasion and erosion can be caused by multiple factors. We will discuss a few major habits that can be easily avoided. It is important to learn about the causes of abrasion and erosion to avoid the harmful effects of these processes on your teeth.

Brushing too hard

It is a common myth that brushing harder will help make your teeth cleaner. It makes sense when you think about cleaning a tough stain, scrubbing harder is the only way to get rid of it. However, cleaning our teeth is very different from removing a stain. It is important to use light pressure and a circular motion on all the surfaces of your teeth. This is a safe and efficient plaque removal technique.

Using a hard bristle toothbrush

Our teeth are very strong when it comes to biting into an apple, but they are more sensitive when it comes to brushing. Hard and medium bristle toothbrushes are too abrasive for our teeth. Continued use over time will result in loss of enamel. When selecting a toothbrush, it is important to look for a soft or very soft bristle brush to help keep your teeth clean and strong.

Chewing on hard objects

We all have habits that we resort to when stressed or nervous like biting nails, gnawing on a pen cap, or chewing on a metal necklace. However, these routine practices can wear down the outer surfaces of teeth over time. It can be difficult to get rid of these manners. However, it is important to find alternative methods of stress relief that do not impact the integrity of your teeth.

Toothpaste

This may come as a shock to most people, but even some toothpastes can be too abrasive for our teeth. It is important to research which toothpaste products will provide a proper cleaning while not removing integral parts of your teeth. Below is a chart that ranks toothpaste products based on their relative dentin abrasion value. Higher numbers indicate products that are more harmful to tooth structure.