Our Location:
City of Lights Dental
Aurora Dental Arts Building
1940 West Galena Boulevard Suite 11
Aurora, IL 60506
630-892-7087
Find answers and other helpful dental topics in our digital library.
Our Blog:
Archive:
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
Tags
- celebrity smiles (61)
- braces (6)
- root canal (1)
- cosmetic dentistry (11)
- medication (1)
- oral cancer (2)
- tooth decay (7)
- oral health (15)
- oral hygiene (20)
- gap (1)
- orthodontics (5)
- fillings (1)
- dental hygiene (1)
- smile makeover (2)
- gum disease (8)
- bridge (2)
- teeth whitening (4)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- dental implants (10)
- crowns (4)
- toothpaste (1)
- bad breath (2)
- wisdom teeth (4)
- orthodontic treatment (13)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- pregnancy (1)
- dental anxiety (1)
- removable partial denture (1)
- facial pain (1)
- pediatric dentistry (12)
- age one dental visit (1)
- anchorage devices (1)
- bonding (1)
- dental emergency (1)
- dental injury (8)
- tooth staining (1)
- root canal treatment (5)
- sleep apnea (1)
- snoring (1)
- mouthguards (2)
- sedation dentistry (1)
- tooth wear (1)
- missing teeth (2)
- teeth grinding (4)
- chipped teeth (1)
- tooth erosion (1)
- geographic tongue (1)
- pediatric care (1)
- veneers (1)
- cancer (1)
- teeth wear (1)
- dental implant bridge (1)
- mouthguard (1)
- shingles (1)
- bruxism (1)
- tooth grinding (1)
- chipped tooth (2)
- laser dentistry (1)
- tmj disorders (3)
- retainers (1)
- gummy smile (1)
- extractions (1)
- bone grafting (2)
- tooth pain (1)
- bridgework (1)
- crown lengthening (1)
- retainer (2)
- dental cleanings (1)
- sealants (1)
- smoking (1)
- root planing (1)
- medicine (2)
- ulcers (1)
- canker sores (1)
- periodontal disease (1)
- root resorption (1)
- gerd (1)
- porcelain veneers (2)
- loose tooth (1)
- tooth replacement (1)
- dental cleaning (1)
- dental implant (1)
- fluoride (1)
One of the unfortunate aspects of aging is tooth wear. Depending on your diet, years of biting and chewing can cause enamel along the biting surfaces to erode. Your body also can't replace enamel — so when it comes to teeth it's not a question of if, but how much your teeth will wear during your lifetime.
To make matters worse, certain conditions cause tooth wear to accelerate. Teeth softened by acids or tooth decay, for example, erode faster than healthier teeth. So will grinding habits: often fueled by stress, these include chewing on hard items like nails, pencils or bobby pins.
You may also grind your teeth, usually while you sleep. Normal biting and chewing produces pressure of about 13 to 23 pounds per square inch: grinding your teeth at night can well exceed this, even up into the hundreds of pounds.
There are some things we can do to alleviate these issues. For clenching and grinding habits, one primary step is to address stress through counseling or biofeedback therapy. For nighttime teeth grinding we can create a bite guard to wear while you sleep that will prevent your teeth from generating abnormal forces.
Finally, it's important that you take care of your teeth through daily oral hygiene, regular office cleanings and checkups, and a nutritious diet for maintaining strong bones and teeth. Keeping your teeth free from diseases that could compromise your enamel as well as other aspects of your mouth will help them stay as strong as possible.
If you would like more information on slowing the rate of tooth wear as you age, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “How and Why Teeth Wear.”