You might start to notice that over time, our teeth look worn down. You might wonder if this is a cosmetic issue, and you might consult your Kennewick dentist about this. However, it might not necessarily be the case, and it’s important to know what worn teeth is, and what to do about it. This article will discuss what it is, what you can do about it, and what it can mean for your overall oral health.
Now, there are many reasons why you might have worn teeth. Sometimes normal function and diets will cause teeth to wear at different rates. Typically, if you’re grinding or clenching your jaw, or rubbing them against one another when you eat and swallow during the day or at night, it can cause the teeth to wear down. This is often something that you might notice and not know why, however, it can be caused by habits such as biting or chewing, erosion from long-term exposure to acids, and even severe tooth decay.
Sometimes this isn’t totally visible, which is why some aren’t aware. Sometimes it’s more apparent, and also more painful. With severe wear, you might notice you have shorter, flat-looking teeth that have much sharper edges, appearing yellow, or even an unevenness and jagged nature to the teeth. Sometimes they also appear more rounded and can be accompanied by a soreness, tightness of your facial muscles, and you might start to notice that the sensitivity is much stronger too.
Typically, this can increase the risk of decay and leave a tooth more vulnerable, since often, it’s missing some of the enamel that should be there. Often, if it’s losing enamel, the dentin is there and more susceptible to decay. If you notice that your bite is changing as well, it could be because of worn teeth, since it does cause the teeth to not work as well together. A bad bite also can be attributed to the grinding and clenching associated with how the teeth look, and it can lead to headaches, pain, and even jaw popping too.
Finally, it can change your face in a sense, and if you’re missing a tooth, it can make the lower half look shorter, especially when you’re losing our mouth.
Now, the solution to this varies based on the situation, and you should talk to your Kennewick dentist about it. Depending on how severe it is, you might have to get various treatment options. The right solution might even depend on where the wear is in the first place and how extreme it is.
In some cases, a night guard might be needed, especially if you’re grinding and clenching your jaw, and if you’re doing it almost involuntarily. It can help to protect the teeth from damage that might be caused by this when you sleep, and it can protect the jaw and the joint as well. A night guard is a great one, and in some cases, it might even be mandatory.
If you have severe gum disease or other issues, especially the loss of the tooth that might be affected, your dentist might ask for you to replace it with various dental crowns and the restorations, such as a bonded composite restoration, a crown, or even veneers to cover and protect the teeth, allowing it build back up to the normal form. It depends however on how worn the teeth are, and in some cases, this might be a simple fix. If you’re worried about this, you should definitely talk to a dentist that does have experience treating cases of this, and you can definitely get the help that you need.
Worn teeth aren’t fun, and in some cases, it might require more than just a diet change, but rather more extensive work. However, if you take care of this, it can help you with the pain you might be feeling as well. Do see your dentist about this situation and get the help that you need, for it can make a huge difference in your overall happiness when it comes to your oral health, and how you view yourself as well as time goes along too.
Raphael Vandyke 