All our professionals maintain the highest levels of accreditation and pursue ongoing education to stay abreast of the latest trends in dentistry.
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954 52nd Street SE Kentwood, MI 49508 (616) 724-1780 |
1235 W. State ST
Hastings, MI 49058
(269) 948-8029
Patient Library
Find helpful information in our digital library.
Archive:
- 2018
- June (6)
- Bone Grafting Might be Necessary Before You Obtain an Implant
- FAQs About Children's Dental Development
- Take These Measures to Lower Your Child's Tooth Decay Risk
- Finding the Right Solution for Your Gummy Smile
- June Is Men's Health Month
- Use the Same Prevention Strategy to Defeat Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
- March (5)
- It's Spring Cleaning Time...for Your Teeth!
- Provisional Restorations let you Try out Your New Smile First
- 3 Fluoride Sources You Should Monitor for Your Family's Dental Health
- 3 Tips for Helping Your Kids Develop Great Tooth-Friendly Habits
- Why the Ointment You're Using Could be Making Your Facial Rash Worse
- 2017
- 2016
- November (5)
- Reduce Your Oral Cancer Risk with Better Diet and Lifestyle Choices
- Clear Aligners Make it Easier for Teenagers to have Their Teeth Straightened
- 4 Reasons you may want Your Dentist to Whiten Your Teeth
- Transform Your Smile and Dental Health by Correcting Your Bad Bite
- Follow These Common Sense Steps When Your Child has a Toothache
- October (5)
- What to Expect Before, During and After Implant Surgery
- Don't let Gum Disease - the 'Other Dental Disease' - Rob you of Your Smile
- Reduce Sugar Consumption - for a Healthier Mouth and Body
- Keeping up Good Hygiene Still a Necessity with Dental Implants
- Teenagers May Need a Temporary Tooth Replacement
- August (5)
- Do you need Simple Tooth Removal or Surgery? It Depends on a few Factors
- People Born with Missing Teeth can Still Gain a Beautiful Smile
- You can Still have Implants with Diabetes - if you have it under Control
- See Your new Look Before Dental Work with a 'Trial Smile'
- Topical Fluoride Adds Extra Protection against Tooth Decay
- June (5)
- Keeping Gum Disease at Bay Could Help Your Overall Health
- The Risk for Gum Disease Increases While Wearing Braces
- Monitoring Blood Pressure is Also Important During Dental Care
- Adult Tooth Root Resorption is a Serious Issue that Requires Prompt Action
- Weigh a Poor Smile's Emotional and Social Cost when Considering Restorations
- March (5)
- Surgically Accessing Sinuses can Help Grow New Bone for Implants
- Kids, Cats and Canines: Dental Development Through the Ages
- Removable Dentures Remain a Viable Option for People with Total Tooth Loss
- Advancing Gum Disease Requires Thorough Treatment to Control it
- Support Your Child's Teeth Development with Proper Hygiene and Dental Care
- 2015
- 2014
- December (5)
- Reduce Your Risk of Oral Cancer With a Healthy Whole Food Diet
- Periodontal Surgery may be Needed to Halt Gum Disease and Encourage Healing
- Extend the Life of Your Dental Appliance With Proper Care
- More Than a new Smile - Dental Implants Help Stop Bone Loss as Well
- Dealing With Dental Emergencies While Traveling Abroad
- August (5)
- Does Your Toothbrush Need A Cleaning?
- Replace Missing Teeth to Prevent Other Teeth From Moving Out of Place
- Composite Resins are a Viable Restoration Option for Mildly Defective Teeth
- A Fixed Bridge Remains an Effective Option for Tooth Replacement
- Make Informed Choices on Drinking Water by Knowing the Facts
- April (5)
- Five Things You Should Know About Sleep Apnea
- Seeking Relief From Burning Mouth Syndrome
- Non-Vital Bleaching Removes Unsightly Tooth Discoloration From Within
- Considering Bone and Gums Critical to Achieving a Better Smile With Implants
- Know What to do to Ease Your Child Out of the Thumb Sucking Habit
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
Tags
- celebrity smiles (5)
- dental hygiene (4)
- teeth whitening (10)
- cosmetic dentistry (41)
- dental implants (33)
- diabetes (2)
- periodontal (gum) disease (5)
- smile makeover (24)
- wedding day smiles (2)
- veneers (6)
- teeth grinding (5)
- oral health (68)
- night guards (1)
- crowns (5)
- mouthguards (3)
- sports dentistry (4)
- dental injuries (5)
- nutrition (8)
- oral cancer (6)
- fluoride (5)
- dental injury (2)
- dental emergency (2)
- root canal (10)
- tooth decay (16)
- dental health tips (1)
- oral hygiene (26)
- tmd (4)
- tmj (5)
- laser dentistry (3)
- common symptoms (6)
- wedding day smile (1)
- sinus pain (1)
- brushing teeth (2)
- denture (1)
- sleep apnea (2)
- snoring (2)
- bridgework (2)
- tongue scraper (1)
- bad breath (3)
- replacing teeth (3)
- missing tooth (3)
- dental implant (3)
- tooth loss (2)
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- dental hygienist (1)
- dry mouth (1)
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- pediatric dentistry (24)
- wisdom teeth (3)
- sensitive teeth (2)
- snoring and sleep apnea (2)
- tooth wear (2)
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- gum recession (5)
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Categories:
Preserving Your Teeth's Enamel Could Preserve Your Teeth
Teeth are composed of layers of different types of tissue. The main inner layers — the pulp and dentin — help the teeth respond and adapt to external forces. But they’re vulnerable to decay and quite sensitive to environmental extremes. They are protected from all these by a coating of enamel, made of the hardest material found in the human body.
But while enamel is strong, it’s not invincible — it can soften and dissolve (de-mineralize) if the mouth environment becomes too acidic. While de-mineralization occurs normally whenever the mouth becomes too acidic after eating or drinking, saliva helps neutralize the acid (buffering); in fact, saliva can restore to the enamel some of the calcium and other minerals it has lost (a process called re-mineralization).
If the acidic level remains too high for too long it can overwhelm saliva’s buffering ability and cause permanent mineral loss to the enamel. This erosion leaves teeth more susceptible to decay and disease and could lead to tooth loss. With this in mind, here’s some ways you can help preserve your enamel:
- Wait about thirty to sixty minutes after eating or drinking to brush your teeth. Counterintuitive as this may sound, it takes about thirty minutes for saliva to restore a normal pH level and re-mineralize the enamel. If you brush within this window of time, you could brush away some of the softened minerals from the enamel.
- Only brush twice a day. Over-brushing causes undue enamel wear, as well as contributing to receding gums.
- Take advantage of less acidic or mineral-rich beverages. Drink milk or water most of the time, rather than juices, sodas or sports drinks. The calcium in milk or as an additive to acidic beverages aids in buffering and re-mineralization.
- Use a straw for acidic beverages. With a straw your teeth avoid direct contact with most of the beverage’s acid, a key factor in de-mineralization.
- Avoid eating just before bed. Saliva flow decreases significantly when we sleep. If you eat right before bed, there may be less saliva available for buffering and re-mineralization.
Following these tips, along with effective oral hygiene, will go a long way in protecting your teeth’s enamel coating — and preserving your teeth in the long run.
If you would like more information on enamel erosion and how to prevent it, 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 “6 Tips to Help Prevent the Erosion of Tooth Enamel.”