Ways to Prevent Enamel Erosion

1. If you want to have attractive and healthy teeth throughout your lifetime, then it is essential to prevent dental enamel erosion. The enamel on your teeth is a hard substance that protects the internal components of a tooth. If dental enamel is damaged, then bacteria are more likely to enter a tooth. Here are seven important ways to avoid dental enamel erosion. 1: Avoid Eating Too Many Acidic Foods While consuming citrus fruit is important to get enough vitamin C, oranges, lemons and limes have acidic juices that can damage the dental enamel on your teeth. Eating a piece of whole citrus fruit is less acidic than drinking a glass of citrus juice. But you must rinse your mouth with water after eating citrus fruit or drinking citrus juice. You can also brush your teeth after enjoying citrus beverages or foods. 2: Use a Soft-bristled Toothbrush and Gentle Toothpaste It is important to brush your teeth twice a day, but make sure to use a soft-bristled toothbrush rather than one that has stiff bristles. To avoid damaging the enamel on your teeth, wet the toothbrush’s bristles with water before applying a small amount of nonabrasive toothpaste that contains fluoride. 3: Consume Calcium-rich Foods and Beverages Consume calcium-rich dairy products each day to keep the enamel on your teeth stronger. In addition to drinking milk, you can consume yogurt or cheese to ingest more calcium. Remember that other foods also contain calcium, including: • Broccoli • Tofu • Spinach • Almonds • Collard greens • Sardines

2. • Soybeans • Kale 4: Don’t Drink Sugary Beverages Avoid drinking soft drinks that contain sugar or artificial sweeteners. Both types of soft drinks contain strong acids, chemicals and artificial dyes that can damage the dental enamel on your teeth. The ingredients in soft drinks tend to stick between your teeth, leading to eroded enamel that is difficult to see. 5: Treat Your Acid Reflux Disease If you have acid reflux disease, then follow your physician’s dietary guidelines to avoid having a lot of acid inside your mouth. The excess gastric acids in your digestive tract may enter your throat and mouth to bathe your teeth. This can lead to irreparable damage. When you have severe acid reflux disease, make sure to take the medications prescribed by your physician. 6: Stop Drinking Alcoholic Beverages Alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine can erode the enamel on your teeth. When you drink alcohol, the beverages contain high levels of acid and sugar. These will irritate the soft tissues in your mouth along with damaging dental enamel. If you have acid reflux disease, then drinking alcohol in the evening can make the condition worse. 7: Use Dental Floss and an Oral Irrigator Removing additional food and beverage debris from your teeth can prevent dental enamel erosion. Keep dental floss with you to remove any stuck food particles after consuming lunch at work or school. In addition, make sure to floss your teeth each night, and occasionally, rinse your mouth with the highly-pressurized water from an oral irrigator device.