With dental diseases affecting well over half of America’s adult population, the health of your smile is a big deal. The complexity of your mouth’s components means that a single dental issue can have negative consequences on your entire oral health. One of the lesser-known maladies that can afflict your teeth is excessive wear and tear, which breaks down your tooth’s defenses and leaves them vulnerable to disease. Worn teeth can also throw your bite off balance and place undue stress on you jaw’s joints and muscles. To help protect your smile from such quiet destruction, your Astoria dentist, Dr. Leibowitz, explains how your teeth can become worn, and how you can help prevent it.
A Gradual Destruction
Your mouth is the most-used part of your body, and your teeth are constantly put under pressure as you bite and chew. Healthy teeth are designed to withstand this pressure without incidence, but a number of issues can wear your teeth down and negate their defenses. One of the most common causes of tooth wear is bruxism, or habitual teeth-grinding. The pressure from constantly rubbing your teeth together can damage your tooth enamel—the strong, highly mineralized substance that protects your teeth.
When your enamel is compromised, the underlying tooth structure becomes vulnerable to bacterial infection and tooth decay. The grinding can also wear down the chewing surfaces of your teeth, making it harder for mouth to remain perfectly aligned when you bite and chew. The struggle to keep your mouth straight can damage your jaw’s joints, or TMJs, and muscles that surround them, leading to severe discomfort in the form of TMJ disorder.
Prevent Prematurely Worn Teeth with Your Astoria Dentist
Preventing worn teeth usually means treating whatever condition is causing the undue wear and tear. To find out if a dental issue is placing your teeth at risk for wear and tear, or to learn how to correct excessively worn teeth, call our Astoria dentist’s office to schedule a dental consultation with Dr. Leibowitz. You can contact us by calling (718) 728-8320. Located in the 11106 area, we proudly serve patients from Astoria, Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the surrounding communities.
