Teeth play an important role in the life of the body: thanks to them, a person is able to chew food, which, being a source of energy, supports the functioning of organs and is involved in the regulation of metabolism. Weak teeth crumble and do not cope with the function assigned to them.
Composition of tooth enamel
The content of minerals (calcium, phosphorus, fluorine and others) in enamel depends on the quality of nutrition, age, heredity, concomitant diseases and is normally 95-97%. Organic substances and water are allocated 1-2 and 2-3%, respectively.
Tooth crumbling: causes
In order for the teeth to stop crumbling, you need to find the true cause of the destruction process among many others, for example:
- malnutrition with excessive consumption of sweet, fatty foods and lack of vegetables, fruits;
- metabolic disorders leading to increased acidity of saliva, which corrodes tooth enamel;
- deficiency of vitamin D and the mineral Ca (calcium), the first of which is produced when a person receives sufficient sunlight, and the second is absorbed due to vitamin D in the body;
- temperature fluctuations in the oral cavity, which occur, for example, when eating ice cream after hot tea or coffee. A sharp narrowing and then expansion of the enamel leads to cracks, and a large number of them - to brittleness and crumbling of the teeth;
- malocclusion, in which during chewing, the load on certain teeth increases;
- residual disease of the teeth, that is, incomplete treatment, in which the chipped tooth was not treated or the affected cavity was not completely cleaned;
- age. Gradually, the enamel worsens its structure, as the vitamins and minerals necessary for the reliable condition of the teeth are washed out;
- the effect of medications taken. Some drugs increase the acidity in the mouth. After taking drugs that cause a feeling of thirst, you need to rinse your mouth;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- diseases in the field of gastroenterology (gastritis, peptic ulcer, cholecystitis, gallstones), allergic, endocrine pathologies (dysfunction of the thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus);
- decreased immunity;
- enamel injuries: from biting too hard food, cracking nuts, using teeth for other purposes (when opening bottles);
- pregnancy. In this state, calcium from the body, which is located mainly in tooth enamel, is spent on the formation of the fetus;
- heredity. To reduce the risk of disease and crumbling of teeth, you need to carefully monitor their hygiene and health;
- Bruxism (teeth grinding during sleep) creates a large load on the teeth, the causes are identified by the doctor.
Treatment
When a tooth is weakened to such an extent that it begins to crumble, qualified doctor's help is needed. The choice of treatment depends on the underlying cause.
internal disease
Local dental methods will not bring the proper result if the teeth crumble due to a general disease of the body, which is treated by the appropriate specialist: endocrinologist, cardiologist, therapist. After eliminating the internal disease, the dentist takes measures to strengthen the enamel of the teeth.
Nutrient deficiencies, weakened immune system
In such cases, multivitamin preparations and drugs that increase immunity are prescribed. However, it is necessary to put fillings on the affected areas of the teeth.
caries, trauma
If the cause lies in caries or mechanical damage to the tooth, then the dentist drills out the affected tissues, performs filling and, if necessary, installs a crown.
malocclusion
A tooth damaged as a result of increased load is removed and a crown is placed. Further, to save the teeth, the bite is corrected with the help of braces (fixed structures), plates (removable devices), caps (removable linings), as well as the method of prosthetics or surgery.
Error in the treatment of caries
The disease is cured, a filling is installed.
Pregnancy
To return vitamin D to a woman's body, the doctor prescribes fish oil, calcium supplements, vitamin-mineral complexes, reminds her of the need to eat right.
Prevention measures
The best treatment is the prevention of tooth decay, which includes a list of necessary recommendations. First of all, it is necessary to prevent the possible causes of the destruction of tooth enamel, which were mentioned at the beginning of the article.
Nutrition
The daily menu should alternate foods high in calcium: milk, cottage cheese, liver, nuts, sea fish, citrus fruits, greens, cabbage, tomatoes, rosehip broth, watercress, sesame, legumes. A lot of calcium is present in young nettles.
It is necessary to adhere to a balanced diet, in which you should eat lean meat, eggs, cereals. At the same time, the passion for sweets, burgers, pizzas, chips, crackers, french fries should be reconsidered.
Vitamin complex
In spring and autumn it is very useful to take a course of preparations containing vitamin D, fluoride, calcium, which will strengthen the immune system and help strengthen tooth enamel.
Getting rid of bad habits
Teeth must be protected from injury: do not chew on nuts and bones, do not open bottles, do not bite off a harsh or silk thread. These habits will damage your health and create unnecessary problems.
Smoking reduces the strength of the enamel, the teeth become brittle and very weak, covered with an unaesthetic dark coating from tobacco.
Proper oral care
Hygiene procedures consist of thorough brushing of the teeth from all sides, which is carried out twice a day and should take at least three minutes each time. Floss is used before brushing, mouthwash is used after.
Pastes containing fluorine can be used for no more than a week, then switch to conventional products. The selection of brushes, pastes should be agreed with the attending physician.
To protect teeth from crumbling, you need to use special enamel protection: various types of fluoridation of teeth, coating their surface with minerals.
rinses
Dental health depends on the condition of the gums, to strengthen which you need to rinse your mouth with infusions of sage, tea tree, chamomile. These procedures also protect the oral cavity from the growth of bacteria.
After each meal, it is necessary to rinse your mouth, especially if eggplant, paprika, bell pepper, squash, sorrel, zucchini, asparagus were present in the diet. These products are useful in vitamins and minerals, but prolonged contact of the enzymes and acids that make up their composition with the surface of the teeth contributes to the destruction of enamel.
At night, the amount of saliva decreases and the acidity of the mouth increases, so nighttime snacking (which is harmful in any case) increases the risk of brittle teeth.
Timely dental treatment
A visit to the doctor once every six months should become the norm, regardless of the presence of complaints, since only a specialist can recognize the onset of an inconspicuous disease and prevent it in time.
Taking care of your teeth is not only care and treatment: you should avoid too cold and hot drinks and foods, go for walks regularly, and not look for reasons for stress.
