The teeth are worn down with time and you don’t even realize
that something like this is happening. It is a common condition. However,
dentist is usually the first person who informs people about their worn down teeth. Most of the people have no idea how serious this issue can be.
While this issue seems to be cosmetic, it is something much
more than just being cosmetic. According to dental experts, tooth wearing can
be ranked as third most severe issue after tooth decay and gum disease. Having
that said, it is worth mentioning the risks, which your oral cavity might get
exposed against, in case your teeth are worn down.
Reason for the tooth wearing
There are many reasons for the teeth to wear down over time.
Eating, speaking and diet promote tooth wearing at different levels. However,
the most significant reason for teeth wearing remains to be the teeth grinding,
also known as bruxism. People grind their teeth mainly due to stress. However,
some people have this problem of teeth grinding at night while they are asleep.
How the worn down teeth look like?
Tooth wear at mild level is normally not visible. This is
the reason that most of the people are not aware about this issue with their
teeth. Severe tooth wear, on the other hand, is usually more visible as the
teeth appear shorter with sharp edges. Moreover, the teeth appear more yellow
in this case. Severe tooth wear can result in pain.
Consequences of tooth wear
The first thing that tends to happen with worn down teeth is
their increased exposure to the tooth decay. The major reason is that worn down
teeth lose tooth enamel and their dentin is more exposed against the foreign
elements, bacteria and infections. When enamel is gone, the dentin cannot put
any resistance against infectious elements which can make things quite worse
for the dental health.
Another major consequence of tooth wear is the uneven bite.
When the teeth are worn down, the upper and lower jaws do not quite settle with
each other. The immediate disadvantage of this situation is that you will not
be able to chew your foods properly. And the long term disadvantage includes
TMJ disorder which can lead to other pains in the head and neck area.
And finally, the severely worn down teeth can result in the
significant change in the way your face may look. This is due to the shorter
size of lower jaw due to shorter size of teeth.
Night guard
While you may able to prevent clenching of your teeth during
day time, you may wonder what you can do to prevent this practice during night.
The best way is to use a night guard which looks almost same as a sports mouth
guard. By wearing a night guard, you shift the pressure of your teeth into the
rubber of night guard. Hence, you will be able to prevent the wearing down of
your teeth.
Moreover, you will need to consult your dentist in order to
treat this issue permanently.
