PROTECT YOUR TEETH

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Do you experience sensations in your teeth after eating or drinking something? If yes, you are probably suffering from tooth demineralisation. It is a chemical process by which minerals are removed from any of the hard tissues namely, enamel, dentine, and cementum. Here we will talk about removal of teeth enamel.

It is the thin outer covering of your teeth. Also known as the hardest tissue in the human body, enamel protects your teeth from biting, grinding, chewing, and crunching. Additionally, this tissue insulates your teeth from chemicals and extreme temperatures. Notably, your body cannot repair a damaged enamel and once it is damaged completely, you have lost the protective layer forever.

It can then, only be re-mineralised manually in a doctor’s clinic. There are basically two minerals namely calcium and phosphate, that your teeth enamel consists of. Enamel erosion can occur due to various factors including excessive consumption of soft drink, dry mouth, having foods rich in sugar, acid reflux disease, genetics, environmental factors, etc. Not only this, food plaques can also lead to this problem. Bacteria present in the plaque can potentially change the starches in food into acids. And the acid can further eat away the minerals in the teeth enamel. Currently, tooth filling is performed to help patients deal with this condition. But it seems scientists have come up with an alternative option.

NEWLY DEVELOPED GEL CAN REPAIR TEETH ENAMEL: RESEARCH

Researchers at the Zhejiang University have developed a new type of tooth gel that can help in repairing the teeth enamel. This may reduce your visits to dentist for tooth filling. According to scientists, this new gel consists of calcium and phosphate. Notably, these two nutrients are called the building blocks of enamel.

The study during which this novel gel was developed, was published in the scientific journal Science Advances. During the research, the scientists applied this gel on the human tooth present in the lab. These teeth were damaged with acid before application of the gel. Further, researchers left the tooth in the fluid artificially designed to mimic the environment of human mouth for 48 hours.

Post two days, it was observed that the gel helped in the formation of enamel and made the tooth heal itself. Though the thickness of the newly developed enamel was 400 times thinner than undamaged teeth enamel, scientists believe that repeated coats of the gel will help in gradual build up of enamel.

According to the study team, tooth filling is an expensive and painful process. Usually metals, porcelain, or resin are used in the filling. Also, sometimes they do not bind perfectly with the tooth and make further visits to the doctor’s clinic mandatory. This newly developed gel will certainly come up as a much loved and convenient way to re-mineralise your tooth. This gel will take time to be available for use. Before that, it has to be tested against factors like drinking and eating.

WAYS TO RE-MINERALISE YOUR TEETH

Brushing your teeth is the first and foremost thing to do in order to have healthy teeth.  It is essential for removal of bacteria. The basic cause of dental cavities is accumulation of Streptococcus mutans bacteria in your mouth. These bacteria can potentially lead to loss of mineral. Brushing regularly can help you get rid of them. In case, your tooth has started demineralising, here are some of the effective ways to re-mineralise it.

OPT FOR FLUORIDE TOOTHPASTE

According to the Academy of General Dentistry, fluoride toothpaste works against demineralisation by preventing tooth decay. It can strengthen your teeth and protect it from mineral loss.

AVOID EXCESSIVE SUGAR

Being highly acidic, sugar can be detrimental for your teeth enamel. The acid actually interacts with the bacteria present in the mouth and contributes to the breaking down of teeth enamel. Two of the worst sugar rich foods are honey and sucrose. According to a study published in the International Journal of Nanomedicine, higher frequency of sugar consumption is more dangerous for your enamel than amount of sugar consumed.

HAVE FRUIT JUICES IN MODERATION

Fruit juices are rich in sugar and therefore must be avoided or consumed in moderation. Though they are considered as highly nutritious, fruit juices are also rich in acid. If not every fruit juice, you must avoid orange and grapefruit juices. Notably, the acid present in fruits actually cause a process known as calcium chelation on your tooth enamel. This means that the acid binds itself to the calcium and removes it.

EAT CALCIUM AND VITAMIN-RICH FOODS

We just talked about calcium chelation. While this process leads to removal of calcium from the tooth, eating calcium rich foods may help. According to a study published in the journal Nutrition, having foods like milk, cheese, yogurt, almonds, etc. can counteract the effects of eating sugar. Additionally, having vitamin D-rich foods like nuts, soy milk etc., can also help protect against cavities and demineralisation.

DRINK MORE WATER

According to experts in the field, drinking water can help you in re-mineralising your tooth. Water is sugar-free and rinsing your mouth with it can actually help you protect your teeth. This is particularly helpful post eating sugary or acidic foods. If you are thinking that having other beverages like tea, coffee can also be helpful, you are mistaken. They contain sugar and are acidic in nature. This means that they can only make your condition worse.

source: www.thehealthsite.com