Does Tooth Enamel Grow Back?

Tooth Enamel is a sort of substance in the outer layer of your teeth which helps protect your teeth. When dentists refer to tooth decay, it usually means the patient has experienced enamel erosion. This means that the outer protection layer your teeth once had is thin or close to gone. Once this has occurred your teeth are left unprotected and prone to decay. Several studies show that 92% of adults ages 20 to 64 have dental decay in their permanent teeth. Grinding teeth at night, gum recession, and the disappearance of enamel over a lifetime are all common problems people encounter.

Studies Show Possible Advancement in Treatment

Researchers feel that one day it may be possible for people to use an overnight mouth guard or teeth strips saturated with hydrogel to regrow enamel-like substances and reduce teeth sensitivity. Current products like toothpaste and mouthwash containing fluoride and casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate can help the remineralization of enamel erosion but they aren’t a real, viable solution.

Avoid Long-Term Issues By Recognizing The Signs of Enamel Erosion

We’ve created a list of signs to look for if you believe you may be suffering from enamel erosion:

• Tooth Discoloration – Enamel keeps your teeth’s white appearance. Once it wears away, the teeth may turn a yellow tint because of dentin. Dentin is a substance that forms the inside of your teeth, the yellow tint is usually a sign that the substance is showing through.
• Transparent Edges – If the edges of your teeth are becoming transparent, this is a sure sign that the enamel has become thin and might not be as strong as it should be.
• Tooth Sensitivity – The dentin is exposed to the nerve of your tooth. Therefore, if the enamel is being eroded, the inside of the tooth is exposed to temperatures that make eating or drinking cold things uncomfortable, often resulting in bothersome shooting sharp pains.

So, Can Enamel Be Recreated?

The short and quick answer is no, you can not. Although tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the body it can’t be naturally regenerated and unfortunately, you can’t regrow it artificially, either. Which is why we continue to advise our patients to visit us constantly. Visiting us or your dentist will help prevent long-term discomforts in the earlier stages.

As much as we would like to advise our patients that there’s a quick solution to help regenerate enamel, there’s not a solution just yet. Although fancy toothpaste brands promote otherwise, the truth is, once your enamel disappears, it is gone forever. The only way these dental products CAN help is by avoiding this mess in the first place.

Learn More about Dental Services in Chula Vista