How to Strengthen Tooth Enamel and Keep it Healthy

On the surface of your teeth there is a layer known as the enamel, and it is what protects your teeth and helps to ensure that they don’t decay. If the enamel is weak it can lead to numerous issues, and once it starts to erode there’s no way for it to grow back.

Because of all that, it is important that you take steps to keep your tooth enamel healthy and strengthen it as much as possible. That can be accomplished in a number of different ways.

Avoid Foods that Weaken the Enamel

The best way to keep your tooth enamel healthy and strong is by avoiding foods that weaken the enamel. In particular you should try to avoid:

• Eating sugar too frequently that creates acid and bacteria that can erode the enamel.
• Drinking carbonated drinks that are highly acidic and typically have a high sugar content.
• Drinking too much milk that contains lactose which is another source of acid.
• Eating starchy foods that contain fermentable sugar and will weaken the enamel.

The weaker your enamel is, the easier it will be to damage it. By avoiding these foods, your enamel strength should gradually improve.

Try a Re-mineralizing Diet

If you want to directly strengthen your tooth enamel, you should try to actively consume food that is rich in minerals. That is what is known as a re-mineralizing diet and it can help to protect your teeth.

Some of the items that you should try to include in your diet are:

• Calcium that can strengthen your bones and teeth and counter the acidity in your mouth.
• Vitamin D which has been shown to be able to reduce the risk of dental caries.
• Probiotics such as reuteri, rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium and so on that are linked to oral health and re-mineralization.
• Water that will help wash away bacteria, keep your mouth clean, and let you avoid dry mouth.

Aside from the items listed, it is important that you make sure your diet is balanced and contains all the nutrients that your body (and teeth) need to keep them healthy.

Brush Regularly – With Fluoride

Keeping your teeth clean is generally good for enamels too, and will keep them healthy. By brushing and flossing regularly, you’ll be able to reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth and cut down on its acidity too.

It is important that you’re thorough, and brush all the surfaces of your teeth. Additionally you should brush your tongue as well, seeing as it is often a place where bacteria tends to linger.

When you brush your teeth, you should use fluoride toothpaste. It can help strengthen your teeth, make them more resistant to acids, and even repair the early stages of tooth decay. In short your enamel will be much less likely to erode if you use fluoride toothpaste.

Be careful

Final Words

Make no mistake protecting your tooth enamel is essential to your long term oral health. If it starts to weaken and erode, you will be far more likely to end up with cavities and could face other issues such as gum disease too.

As you may have noted when it comes to enamel, prevention is better than cure. If you wait until your enamel has already eroded it will be too late to do anything aside from deal with the issues that arise.

If you feel you have any issues with your enamel, you should talk to a Buckingham dentist or one that is nearby. At very least you should make it a point to stick to your regularly 6-monthly dental checkup so that any issues can be identified early on.

In some cases your dentist may recommend sealants to protect parts of your teeth where the enamel has been damaged. That can be useful, as it could help to prevent further damage from taking place.