Having a great oral hygiene routine will benefit you in different ways. Besides improving the appearance of your teeth, it will also make your teeth much stronger. Do you know that your enamel is much stronger than your bones? So, isn’t there an underlying reason why they are breaking so easily? It is important to learn the cause of brittle teeth so that you can limit further damage to your teeth.
What Are The Causes Of Brittle Teeth?
Various habits can lead to brittle teeth. If your teeth are prone to breakage, then it is likely to be due to the following reasons:
➡️ Nutrient Deficiency
Vitamins and minerals are crucial for tooth health. If you have a nutrient deficiency, it will reflect on your teeth’s health, as they will start to deteriorate. For example, if you have vitamin D deficiency, your body will find it difficult to absorb minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, both of which are essential for teeth health, and if you have vitamin A deficiency, your teeth will break easily.
You can correct this by incorporating a healthy diet into your routine. Also, take special note that some medications might also prevent the absorption of minerals, leading to tooth breakage.
➡️ Dehydration
If you are not drinking much water, it will adversely affect the quality of saliva that is in charge of killing the bad bacteria in your mouth. If your mouth becomes a habitat for these bacteria, they will together work to cause brittleness.
So, make sure to drink plenty of water to avoid such situations.
➡️ Poor Oral Hygiene
Over-brushing or inadequate brushing can create a bacteria-prone atmosphere in your mouth, destroying enamel. You can overcome this by brushing your teeth twice a day using a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste, because fluoride has the property to protect your teeth from germs.
How Do You Strengthen Brittle Teeth?
If you are someone looking to prevent brittle teeth or strengthen the already brittle teeth, you can follow the following methods:
✔️ Eat Foods Rich in Mineral
Just like your body, your teeth also require minerals to function properly. So, make sure you are eating foods enriched with nutrients such as eggs, mushrooms, cheese, dark leafy vegetables, and others to ensure the supply of minerals is ongoing.
✔️ Reduce Sugar Intake
Sugar is the main villain of your health. Along with leading to diabetes or even cancer, it also destroys the health of your teeth over time. It is the main source of bacteria in your mouth. So, taking refined sugar out of your diet will have a noticeable difference in your enamel health, and it is also one of the easiest ways to protect your entire dental health.
✔️ Avoid Consistant Snacking
Constantly snacking on carbs might increase the risk of bacteria growth in your mouth as the carbs will provide a constant supply of food to the bacteria, encouraging it to produce more acid leading to enamel destruction. If you want to snack that bad, make sure to eat something low carb, and also rinse your mouth with water after eating.
✔️ Clean Your Tongue
Cleaning your tongue is as important as brushing your teeth. It is another great way to reduce the bacteria in your mouth. Additionally, you can also improve your breath.
✔️ Oil Pulling
Oil pulling has several benefits. It is the process of swishing any edible oil in your mouth, generally for about 20 minutes. It will help remove bacteria from your mouth and also reduce any built-up plaque. When you leave the bacteria as it is in your mouth, it will slowly start producing acid that will attack your surface enamel, exposing the dentin layer beneath and leading to further damage.
For better results, do the process at least thrice a week.
✔️ See Your Dentist Regularly
Visiting your dentist every 6 months will help improve your oral health drastically. Your dentist will be quick to find the areas that need improvement and can also diagnose any early disease. On top of these, your dentist will also be able to remove substances like plaque or tartar from your teeth, which are hard to remove by brushing.
Also Read: What Are The 3 Common Oral Problems? Check The Guide!
Conclusion
Your teeth define the structure of your face. It determines whether or not you have a beautiful smile. So, it is crucial to take care of your teeth. Even if you have brittle teeth right now, start taking measures today to treat them and prevent further damage. Start by consulting your dentist, because it is important to seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider before doing anything on your own.
References
- Touger-DeckerR, et al. (2003). Sugars and dental caries. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/78.4.881S - Bassiouny MA. (2013). Dental erosion due to abuse of illicit drugs and acidic carbonated beverages.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23454320/
