Erosion of teeth is a non-carious pathology, which is characterized by pathologically rapid erasure of enamel. Most often, you can notice the problem on the convex outer part of the tooth.
Features of the development of pathology
Erosion of the teeth begins with the defeat of the uppermost enamel layer. Its color becomes faded, the bottom of the damage is very hard and smooth. Very unpleasant symptoms begin to appear.
Be aware that many dentists may call this a cosmetic problem. However, this is not quite true. Without treatment, the problem progresses rapidly. In addition to enamel, dentin, the hard tissue of the tooth, can be affected. Then we should already talk about a full-fledged disease of the teeth, which can lead to their loss.
In most cases, small molars, incisors and canines are damaged. However, in the absence of therapy, the pathology will spread to other teeth. Treatment of the disease is not difficult, but it must be timely. The first thing to do is to urgently contact the dentist.
How is erosion different from other pathologies?
Diagnosis of the disease must be thorough and careful, as itcan be confused with other jaw problems.
Tooth erosion is very similar to caries and wedge-shaped defect. However, in the first case, the concomitant disease is characterized by a rough surface of the enamel. When eroded, it is smooth. A wedge-shaped defect is found in the root area. The teeth then lose their normal shape.
Causes of disease development
Tooth erosion can be triggered by the following factors:
- Mechanical damage to the enamel, which can be obtained due to improper care, bruxism (teeth grinding), gastritis, improperly selected toothpaste, whitening.
- Erosion of dental tissue is provoked by pathology of the thyroid gland or the endocrine system as a whole.
- Increased load on the enamel, which is obtained due to malocclusion, insufficient number of teeth in the mouth (the load is distributed unevenly). An incorrectly installed prosthesis can also lead to the fact that the enamel on the "native" teeth will be erased much faster.
- The use of certain medications that have an aggressive effect on the enamel.
- Working in a harsh factory environment. For example, if the patient works in a workshop where there is a lot of metal or mineral dust. Getting on the enamel, such a kind of abrasive material damages it.
- Chemical exposure: drinking carbonated drinks and foods high in acid. It is advisable to use them so that they do not touch the surface of the teeth.
Consequences of pathology
It should be noted that tooth enamel erosion occurs mainly in middle age. It can develop for about 15 years. Naturally, the disease leaves some consequences:
- Teeth wear very quickly. In just a few weeks, you will see changes in the surface of the crowns.
- The color of the crowns becomes dark. This is especially noticeable if erosion has reached hard tissues.
- Tooth sensitivity increases, which causes problems with chewing food. Since the barrier surrounding the nerve becomes very thin, brushing your teeth and eating cold (hot) foods will cause pain.
- The edges of damaged teeth are so thin that they look transparent.
In addition, if left untreated, erosion of the hard tissues of the tooth may occur. This, in turn, provokes the appearance of pain, as well as tooth decay.
Development stages
There are only three of them:
- Initial. At this stage, tissue damage is not noticeable much. You may not even suspect that there is a problem. At this stage, the development of pathology may not be noticed even by an experienced doctor.
- Average. Here, the erosion of the tissues of the teeth reaches the dentin, but does not affect it. However, the defect becomes visible to the naked eye.
- Deep. At this stage, hard tissue (dentin) also begins to break down. There may already be discomfort and pain. Moreover, discomfort canmanifest with varying intensity.
Phases of disease progression
The process of enamel destruction is uneven. In this regard, the following phases of development can be distinguished:
- Active. In this case, the enamel is erased at high speed. It is this phase that is characterized by excessive sensitivity of the crowns to various stimuli. If the process is not stopped, the tissues will rapidly collapse.
- Stabilized. This phase is characterized by a very slow course of destructive processes. During this period, a person may feel pain, but it is very weakly expressed. The fact is that the body is trying to fight the destruction process on its own, and as the defect is formed, tertiary dentin begins to appear at the site of the lesion. It is produced by the pulp. In some way, this layer is a protection against the destruction of dentin. In this phase, a gradual strengthening of the enamel is carried out. It is the doctor's responsibility to ensure that the stabilized phase lasts as long as possible.
As you can see, it is not so easy to notice the process of enamel loss. But untimely therapy can lead to tooth loss.
Symptoms of pathology
Erosion of the teeth (you have already considered the reasons for it) is expressed in different ways. Symptoms depend on the stage and characteristics of the development of the disease. It is possible to single out such signs of it:
- The first stage is characterized by loss of enamel luster. Most often, the teeth become white, but dull. At this stage, there is no pain yet.
- In the second stage, discomfort appears, the color becomes darker.
- The third stage is characterized by well-palpable pain that occurs while eating or brushing your teeth. The hue of the decaying areas changes. If the enamel is completely worn off, then brown spots are visible in this place.
Features of the diagnosis of the disease
If you suspect that you are developing tooth erosion, treatment should begin only after careful examination and consultation with a doctor. Otherwise, you may make the wrong choice of therapy and harm yourself even more. Diagnostics includes the following procedures:
- External examination of teeth. Thanks to him, the doctor will determine the presence of a problem, be able to differentiate it from other pathological conditions of enamel and dental tissues. Perhaps, at the examination stage, the doctor will be able to determine the reasons that provoked the destruction process.
- Drying the damage with an air jet with the application of iodine. This procedure will help determine the location of erosion.
- Hormonal analysis and ultrasound of the thyroid gland. This study is necessary to confirm or refute that the disease is associated with endocrine disorders.
Features of treatment
Recently, dental patients have seen a common form of tooth erosion, in which the defect does not reach the dentin. In this case, it is easiest to cure the disease.
In general, with such a pathology, restorative therapy is carried out. It provides for the implementation oftreatments:
- Remineralization of enamel. The patient will have to apply daily applications of products containing calcium and fluorine to the teeth. It is necessary to carry out the procedure for 2-3 weeks (depending on the degree of damage to the surface). After completion of the course, it is required to apply fluorinated varnish on the enamel. Thanks to this procedure, the patient has the opportunity to get rid of too high sensitivity of the teeth.
- Enamel mineralization using physiotherapy procedures. For example, electrophoresis using calcium is effective. In this case, the substance is absorbed and absorbed by the enamel faster.
- Restoration procedures. They are used only if other treatments have failed. Here, veneers, crowns or a light-cured composite are used for restoration.
- General therapeutic measures that are carried out in the stabilized phase. For example, the patient is recommended to take multivitamin and mineral complexes. Naturally, the doctor must take care of changing the shade of the enamel at the sites of erosion damage. For this, polishing, moderate bleaching can be used.
Please note that filling teeth with erosion does not give a positive effect. You will have to restore the layer of enamel, and not close the carious holes.
Prevention measures
Despite the fact that the treatment of such a disease is not difficult, it is better to prevent it. If you care about your teeth, try to keeppreventive measures:
- Reject or reduce your intake of those foods that contain a large amount of food acids. If you like carbonated drinks, then try to drink them in a way that avoids contact with enamel. To do this, you can simply use the straw.
- Don't eat very hot or very cold food, especially in one meal. A sharp temperature drop can cause cracking of the enamel.
- After eating, rinse your mouth with a special mouthwash or plain warm water. This will neutralize the negative impact of some products.
- Try to brush your teeth properly. Use soft toothbrushes and non-abrasive toothpaste. It is better to start cleaning from the inner surface, while not pressing too hard on the bristles. It is advisable to brush your teeth after every meal, but twice a day remains the best option.
- Visit the dentist every six months. This will make it possible to identify pathology at an early stage of development.
If you still have erosion of tooth enamel, treatment will allow you to avoid their complete destruction. Stay he althy!
