Soft Teeth - Causes, Prevention and Treatment

Introduction:

Ever wondered what a soft tooth is? If yes, this article is for you. There are several misconceptions about having soft teeth. Firstly, many people assume it to be a genetic condition that runs in families, which is not true at all. The fact is that there is no such thing called soft teeth in dentistry; it is a man-made term to indicate teeth that are highly susceptible to decay. Soft teeth is a general term indicating teeth with a weaker enamel that happens due to loss of the enamel layer of the teeth due to various factors.

What Is Tooth Enamel?

Enamel is the outermost whitish portion and the hardest layer of the teeth. It is, in fact, the hardest in the whole body. It only covers the crown portion of the tooth and protects the inner portion of the teeth (dentin and pulp), which are relatively soft from the external environment. Tooth enamel, once lost, can neither be regenerated again by itself nor replaced with any material of the same strength.

What Exactly Are Soft Teeth?

Despite being the hardest part of the teeth, the enamel is susceptible to wear, erosion, and cracking due to external factors such as improper hygiene, excess sugar intake, stomach acid regurgitation, etc. Teeth that are influenced by such damage become weak and are categorized as soft teeth. In short, soft teeth are those with damaged enamel. When the enamel is weak, the soft inner layers of the teeth get exposed easily, leading to severe symptoms like pain.

What Are the Causes of Soft Teeth?

Soft teeth can sometimes happen due to childhood dental issues, conditions like amelogenesis imperfecta, or tooth developmental anomalies but the most common reasons for a soft tooth include poor oral hygiene, excessive sugar intake, and some health conditions that erode the enamel, such as gastric problems, etc. However, these factors only influence the tooth to get damaged by thinning the enamel and do not make the tooth soft permanently.

1. Poor Oral Hygiene:

Children and adults who do not take oral hygiene seriously compromise their oral health, weakening tooth enamel. Insufficient and improper oral hygiene practices weaken enamel and cause tooth decay.

2. Excessive Sugar Intake:

Excessive and regular sugar intake damages the tooth enamel. In a normal mouth, both good and bad bacteria are present; during sugar consumption, the level of bad bacteria in the saliva increases, and they interact with the sugars and form acids. These acids attack the tooth enamel, weakening it little by little and finally making it prone to decay.

3. Harsh Tooth Brushing:

Brushing for an extended period, brushing forcefully, using a hard toothbrush, etc., contribute to enamel wear-off, making the tooth highly susceptible to damage.

4.Bruxism:

It is a habit prevalent among stressed people, commonly called night grinding. Continuous teeth grinding in sleep can lead to enamel wear-off.

5.Tooth Injury:

Fracture in the tooth can lead to loss of tooth structure, making the tooth weak.

6. Acid Regurgitation:

In patients with gastric problems, stomach acids come up to the mouth and can erode the tooth enamel. This loss of enamel makes the tooth sensitive and weak.

7. Frequent Intake of Acidic Beverages:

Frequent intake of acidic beverages can cause enamel erosion making the teeth sensitive and weak.

8. Childhood Anomalies:

a) Amelogenesis Imperfecta -

It is an inherited disorder that occurs in childhood due to problems with enamel formation. People with this disorder have a naturally small, discolored, pitted appearance or a grooved appearance that makes it highly susceptible to breakage.

b) Enamel Hypoplasia -

It is a condition in which the enamel is thin or absent. It occurs from childhood.

c) Hypomineralization -

A condition in which the minerals in the tooth enamel are scarce, making it weak. This occurs due to certain disturbances in tooth development that occur during pregnancy or childhood.

d) Vitamin and Nutritional Deficiencies -

Children with certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies have a weakly made enamel that is highly susceptible to decay and damage. The most common deficiencies that take a toll on oral health include; vitamin D deficiency, calcium, phosphate deficiency, etc.

How to Prevent Soft Teeth?

Soft teeth occurring due to environmental factors can be prevented by altering and modifying the lifestyle. The changes to be done include:

• Maintain good oral hygiene.

• Brush twice a day following a proper technique.

• Use soft toothbrushes instead of hard ones to brush your teeth. Brush for not more than two minutes in circular and sweeping motions.

• Floss between the gaps of teeth.

• Visit a dentist and get the teeth checked once or twice a year.

• Minimize and regulate sugar intake.

• Drink fluoridated water.

• Mouth rinsing after intake of sticky, sugary foods.

• Persons with gastric problems should get treated for it and avoid foods that cause regurgitation.

• Minimize intake of acidic foods and beverages.

• Wear mouthguards while performing activities that can cause trauma to the teeth.

• Take care of the vitamin deficiencies with supplements and a proper diet rich in the deficient vitamin.

• Soft teeth occurring in childhood due to problems during tooth development cannot be prevented entirely, though in some cases, taking proper care not to interrupt the tooth development can minimize the incidence to a small extent.

How to Treat Soft Teeth?

The enamel that is lost once is lost forever. Even if replaced with a filling, there is no filling with the same strength as the enamel.

• Scaling (professional cleaning) should be done to remove the hard deposits from teeth.

• In case of deficiencies, supplements are prescribed.

• Fluoride treatments can be done to prevent decay and damage.

• The treatment options for teeth with lost enamel include;

  • Dental fillings.

  • Dental veneers.

  • Dental crowns.

Conclusion:

The susceptibility of teeth to damage depends on how well it is maintained. Blaming genetics for soft teeth is not always right. Keeping the oral cavity in check and following the necessarily recommended hygiene protocols and precautions can protect your teeth from damage. It is also necessary that you pay a visit to the dental office once or twice every year.