Tooth Abrasion: Causes, Signs and Prevention.

In as much as a smile plays an integral role in one’s overall oral health by making one’s smile prettier and boosting one’s confidence, most people intend to protect it as possible as they can. Ironically, the effort put to achieve an excellent dental hygiene might in turn successfully damage the teeth instead. Before we dive deeper, it is great to know what abrasion means: abrasion is the process of scraping or wearing something away. It also refers to an area damaged by scraping or wearing away.

What is Tooth Abrasion?
Tooth abrasion is a situation whereby your teeth begin to wear away. The wearing away here means that your teeth begin to lose enamel as a result of some external forces. Tooth abrasion inadvertently occurs when one uses inappropriate methods while brushing the teeth and gums. I would like you to reflect for a moment and ask yourself these questions:

Do I overbrush my teeth?
Do I chew on objects that are not meant to be chewed?
Do I just let anything into my mouth?

The truth is that doing the above and other relatable habits could eventually, not just make the teeth super-sensitive, but also lead to tooth abrasion. It’s one thing to notice tooth abrasion, but it’s another thing to know the exact cause of damage so as to know the proper steps to take in fixing it.

It should always ring a bell to you that even though your teeth are the most durable part of your body, they are always exposed to so many things that can damage them. Some of the things your teeth are exposed to that damage them include acid, overbrushing, etc. The problem starts when you don’t observe proper oral hygiene. Some people think that when they overbrush or brush their teeth too hard, they are making their teeth cleaner, but reverse is the case here: overbrushing is not just bad for your teeth but also damages your gum tissue, wears away the enamel, and hence, leads to tooth decay.

What Are the Possible Causes of Tooth Abrasion?

There are many possible causes of tooth abrasion. Some include:

Overbrushing Or Brushing Too Hard: when you brush your teeth aggressively, over time, it damages your teeth enamel. Remember that your teeth enamel serves as a protector to your teeth. Now, when the enamel becomes damaged, it automatically makes you prone to common dental issues such as receding gums and tooth decay. It is also paramount to note that tooth decay, if left untreated, can eventually lead to tooth loss. Let is always ring a bell in your mind that overbrushing doesn’t make your teeth any cleaner. So, instead of brushing fiercely, why not be gentle and careful? That way, you are giving your teeth the care they need and not the punishment they don’t deserve.
Hard-Bristled Toothbrush: when it comes to using toothbrushes, we don’t need to overemphasize. As trivial as it may seem, our choice of toothbrush determines the outcome of our overall oral health; either good or bad. Just like overbrushing doesn’t make out teeth any cleaner, using a hard-bristled toothbrush doesn’t either. Rather, hard-bristled toothbrush causes more damage to our teeth. Talk to your dentist to prescribe the right toothbrush for your teeth.
Chewing On Hard Objects: have you had any hard object in your hands and felt tempted to chew on it? Apparently, you have! Does chewing on pen tips ring a bell? I’m sure it does! Now, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a pen tip. It could be anything hard that goes into your mouth. The point here is that chewing on hard objects can unarguably damage your teeth.
Biting On Your Fingernails: this is one thing most people are guilty of. Surprisingly, it is not only children who bite on their fingernails, some adults do that too. To some, it is an unconscious act, while to some others, it is a deliberate act. Either way, biting on your fingernails is an improper oral hygiene practice that leads to tooth abrasion; it should be stopped.
Bruxism: this is another factor that leads to tooth abrasion. People who purposelessly grind their teeth are more likely to have tooth abrasion. This is so because the grinding of teeth can actually put a lot of pressure on the teeth surface, thereby creating room for abrasion.
Mouth Jewelry: another thing that causes tooth abrasion is when you are fond of rubbing mouth jewelry against your teeth. Some of these things we do that seem pleasurable to us are somehow dangerous and harmful.

Signs of Tooth Abrasion
One of the things about tooth abrasion is the fact that it takes a long time before it shows up. It doesn’t just show up in one day. As a matter of fact, you might have it for a long time before realizing it. There are signs that are visible that indicate that one actually has tooth abrasion. Some of these signs are:

Notches on your teeth near the gum line.
Sensitive teeth. That is, experiencing pain when eating hot, cold or sour foods.
Receding gums.
Tooth decay: it’s easy for bacteria to gain access to cling to your teeth when you have tooth abrasion.
Exposure to acids: when your teeth are exposed to acids such as frequent puking, eating acidic foods or drinking acidic beverages, you are likely to have tooth abrasion. This is because acids eat away at the teeth which lead to dental erosion. More so, they also weaken the enamel (the protective shield of the teeth) which leaves it readily yielding to tooth abrasion.

Ridges on the Tooth Surface. Repeated rubbing against the tooth can cause uneven enamel wear, creating ridges and pits on the surface of teeth.

Tooth abrasion is a very big problem because without the enamel, your teeth will be super vulnerable to bacteria and plaque. We all know what bacteria and plaque do to our teeth. To avoid tooth abrasion, which can possibly lead to tooth loss, pay your dentist a visit. He/she will carry out a diagnosis on you to know if you already have tooth abrasion and recommend best treatment for you.

How To Prevent Tooth abrasion
Sadly, the enamel, once damaged cannot be repaired. It’s heartbreaking I know. The good news is that there are preventive measures to take so as not to damage your enamel. The most effective way to prevent damaging your enamel when brushing your teeth is by following the appropriate brushing techniques. These include:

Using soft-bristled toothbrushes. These are highly recommended by dentists because they are mild on your enamel.
Brushing gently is another method of preventing tooth erosion. the only reason you brush your teeth is to remove food particles and plaque that are stuck on your teeth. Brushing is not a duel between you and your teeth, so, it is unnecessary to use all your might and energy while brushing; it doesn’t make your teeth any cleaner. Rather, hard brushing damages your teeth enamel and leaves you frustrated.
Brush your teeth in two minutes only. About two minutes is enough to brush your whole mouth. Spending longer time brushing your teeth will do you no good. As a matter of fact, even with appropriate brushing techniques, when you brush for more than a couple of minutes at a time, you are readily yielding yourself to tooth abrasion.

Tooth abrasion can be prevented using the preventive measures techniques explained in this article. Don’t forget to visit your dentist if you notice something unusual happening to your teeth.