Why Are My Teeth Wearing Down?
Everyone’s teeth undergo wear and tear as they perform the functions of daily life, and a little bit of deterioration of the teeth is normal. When a person’s teeth wear down more than the normal amount, however, the erosion of the teeth becomes pathologic, which means that it is an abnormal condition that may manifest as an anatomical or physiological disease but isn’t directly caused by tooth decay or injury. When tooth wear becomes a pathologic condition and the teeth wear down beyond what is considered normal, it can affect the person’s ability to speak clearly and eat comfortably, and it can also cause cosmetic concerns. Additionally, when the teeth have worn down significantly, the nerve of the tooth may be exposed, which can be extremely painful. Clearly, if your teeth are wearing down and you’re noticing it, you have reason to be concerned and might be looking for a solution (like a dental crown). First, it helps to understand why a person’s teeth might wear down excessively; any treatment will depend on the causes of the condition, along with multiple other considerations.
The three categories of wear on the teeth are attrition, erosion, and abrasion. When the tooth structure is worn down by other teeth, this is known as attrition. This happens most frequently in cases of clenching or grinding of the teeth, a condition known as bruxism. When the forces of the upper and lower jaws cause aggressive contact between the teeth of the upper and lower rows, the back teeth flatten out and the front teeth become visibly shortened. Over time, the face itself can become disfigured due to attrition, because of tooth wear as well as excessive force on the muscles and bones of the jaw. The teeth may also become sensitive to extreme temperatures, though this is infrequent when attrition is present. Bruxism can be treated with a custom-fitted mouthguard that prevents the teeth from clenching, and it may also be effectively managed with stress-reduction techniques.
When the tooth surface wears down because of friction, this is called abrasion. The most common cause of tooth wear due to abrasion is improper brushing of the teeth. This could include the direction and pattern of the brushing, the amount of pressure used, or the use of a toothbrush with hard bristles. Abrasion manifests most commonly on the back teeth, whose outer surfaces demonstrate excessive wear, and there is a visible indentation in the tooth at the margin of the gum line. Abrasion can be fixed in a few different ways, and your dentist can make sure you know how to brush properly, in a gentle circular motion with a soft-bristled toothbrush, to prevent it from happening again.
Erosion occurs when the enamel and dentin at and beneath the tooth surface are dissolved by acid, which can come from the diet or the stomach. When a person consumes a diet high in acid, the calcium that protects the teeth is eaten away by the dietary acid. Soda is one of the most acidic beverages available, and excessive citrus or citrus candies can also and wreak erosive havoc on the teeth. Stomach acid has incredibly powerful erosive properties, as it’s designed to dissolve an array of substances, and frequent vomiting has tremendously destructive effects on the teeth. Gastric reflux can also erode the enamel of the teeth, and both chronic vomiting and gastric reflux are common precursors to esophageal cancers. Treatment for tooth wear caused by erosion will include treatment for the larger cause, which may need to precede whatever restoration is planned.