How to Avoid Tooth Enamel Damage

Stopping Tooth Enamel Damage

Minimizing exposure to harmful substances and brushing properly with a soft-bristled or electric toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste are among the best preventive measures. If you do experience tooth enamel damage, you will need to visit your dentist to have it evaluated and repaired.

We should not stop eating acidic foods altogether, as some of them offer important health benefits. However, we can limit how frequently we consume them. This can reduce repeated acid exposure and damage over a short period of time.

Research which foods and beverages are acidic so you can take steps to protect your teeth. You should also understand the potential side effects of any medications you take. Discuss these risks with your physician or dentist and ask how you can help minimize their effects on your oral health.

Understanding and Monitoring Your pH Level

The pH scale measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in an aqueous solution, indicating its degree of acidity or alkalinity.

Although at-home measurements are not definitive, commercially available test strips can be used to check the pH of your saliva within a few seconds. Instructions may call for collecting saliva in a spoon approximately two hours after eating, dipping the testing strip into the saliva, and waiting about 15 seconds before comparing the strip’s color with the corresponding pH level.

Monitoring your saliva’s pH can help you understand whether your teeth may be at risk of enamel damage. A pH of 7.0 is considered neutral, while 6.5 is slightly acidic and 6.0 is more acidic. Wine, for example, generally has a pH between 3.0 and 3.5 and can create a highly acidic environment in the mouth.

After recording your average pH by testing two or three times per day over an extended period, contact your dentist for professional advice or treatment as needed.