Eat a Remineralization Diet Certain foods can help remineralize softened areas in your teeth that acidic foods and drinks have weakened. For example, foods rich in calcium (dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt) help put back minerals into the enamel, and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables encourage saliva flow.
Try non-acidic foods: Certain foods are good for your enamel. Many types of fruits and vegetables, dairy products such as milk, and foods or drinks containing fluoride – notably spinach, grapes and black tea – will be useful to naturally restore enamel.
Cut nails and hair grow back, and broken bones will self-repair. However, tooth enamel cannot grow back due to the fact that it is not a living tissue. It can't be naturally regenerated or even artificially re-grown.
Enamel hypoplasia can also be caused by a number of things such as vitamin A, C, or D deficiency, Usher syndrome, drug use during pregnancy, premature birth, insufficient maternal care, etc. Acid erosion, however, can be controlled by you. Reduce the number of acidic food or drinks you consume each day.
As the enamel erodes more, your teeth may appear grayish or yellow. Your teeth may begin to appear rounded, develop ridges, and often the gaps between teeth will become more substantial. Eventually, you may notice cracks in the teeth or experience loss of tooth material.
It could be the result of an acidic diet, medication side reactions or just vigorous brushing. Dry mouth, low salivary flow, diet high in sugar and starches, bruxism and friction, acid reflux disease, gastrointestinal problems and even genetics could also be blamed for enamel erosion.
Signs that Your Enamel Has Eroded or Is Weak
For example, if your teeth appear yellow or there are certain parts of a tooth that look worn and shiny, you may have enamel loss. The appearance of white spots can also indicate damage to enamel structure.
Tooth enamel erosion exposes the inner layers of your teeth to open air and the foods and drinks you consume. This makes your teeth more vulnerable to cavities. In addition, tooth enamel loss can make your teeth more sensitive to heat, cold and sweets. They may also stain more easily.
Use fluoride treatment
Also, many dentists can provide a stronger fluoride treatment to help those with weak enamel. Simply implementing fluoride treatment into a daily oral care routine can significantly help in rebuilding tooth enamel.
While there is currently no way to reverse the damage done by acid erosion or cavities, preventive measures such as avoiding sugary foods, brushing twice daily with a fluoride-containing toothpaste, and regularly visiting your dentist are key in maintaining strong teeth and healthy smiles.
Once tooth enamel is damaged, it cannot be brought back. However, weakened enamel can be restored to some degree by improving its mineral content. Although toothpastes and mouthwashes can never “rebuild” teeth, they can contribute to this remineralization process.
This is because teeth can become translucent due to the effects of enamel erosion, which is a slow, gradual process. As the enamel wears down and becomes thinner, it begins to lose its natural color. This allows the underlying dentin layer to show through.
Phosphorus. When considering how to strengthen tooth enamel, consider phosphorus. Phosphorus plays a critical role in dental health because it can naturally help protect and help rebuild tooth enamel. The best sources of phosphorus can be found in protein-rich foods like meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.
The remineralization process usually takes about three to four months to take effect. However, once you begin to better fortify your enamel, you may start to see stronger teeth, experience less sensitivity, and even reveal a whiter smile.
Brittle Teeth Treatments
Ask your dental professional about these treatments: Fluoride supplements and fluoride gels to remineralize teeth. Dental sealants to the chewing surfaces to protect teeth from fractures and decay. Veneers, thin shells that cover the teeth, to help prevent tooth breakage.
Don't Skip an Aesthetic Fix. Even though you can't reverse enamel erosion and shouldn't whiten at home to reduce yellowing, you can still change the look of your smile. The dentist can bond a tooth-colored material to the damaged area to create a smooth, pearly white finish.
However, once your enamel is damaged or worn away, it doesn't grow back. Though your dentist can repair small lesions that weaken enamel, once it's gone you're going to have serious problems with your teeth for the rest of your life.
The Warning Signs of Causes of Thin Enamel
You may notice that your teeth appear more yellow as the underlying dentin becomes more visible. You may also see an increasing level of translucency near the edges of your teeth.
Help guard against the daily effects of acid erosion with Sensodyne's line of toothpastes specially formulated for enamel protection. Our Pronamel range strengthens and rehardens weakened enamel for ongoing protection against acid wear. They are also specially formulated for sensitive teeth.
"You can't regrow tooth enamel, but you can remineralize it," says upwave review-board member Mark Wolff, DDS, a professor of dentistry at New York University. "That's what these [toothpastes] actually do... They push calcium and phosphates back into the tooth, and it hardens the enamel." The secret weapon?