![severe translucent teeth severe translucent teeth](https://d1c40o0u1pbjgy.cloudfront.net/public/assets/images/1632059/large_image_1568216306.jpg)
This makes teeth sensitive to cold foods and drinks.Įroded enamel is also weaker and less capable of fighting off the attacks of cavity-causing bacteria. Because one of enamel’s roles is to act as an insulator of the nerve tissue within the tooth, when it thins and weakens, you lose the insulation effect. Enamel erosion makes teeth look yellower and smaller. It also becomes more translucent, showing through the underlying yellow dentin. The outer coating of enamel on the teeth becomes thinner and weaker over time. This occurs when the pH inside our mouths goes below a pH of 5.5.Įrosion is the process of a gradual dissolving of tooth enamel in the presence of an acidic environment. While bacteria use this acid to penetrate into the tooth, causing a cavity, you can have acid damage without the presence of bacteria. Acid is the only thing that can weaken and soften this hardest structure in the body. Bacteria cause cavities through the production of acid. It is harder than the underlying dentin in teeth and harder than all of our bones. What is Enamel Erosion?Įnamel is the hardest structure in the human body. all without a single cavity present in the mouth. Enamel erosion is a great destroyer of teeth, leading to sensitivity, an increase in wrinkles (really!), and the need for expensive dental restorations. While cavities do account for a great majority of tooth damage, they are not the only problem against which we need to protect our teeth. When people think of things that can destroy teeth, most will only think of cavities.