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People who say they have soft teeth end up dealing with a host of issues, no matter how good they are at maintaining their oral hygiene. This includes cavities, toothaches, and tooth sensitivity. Some people have said that their oral health began to deteriorate after aging, having children, and other life changes. Despite maintaining the same good dental routine and having a positive oral health history, they still experience all those issues.
As any local dentist in Waterford or elsewhere will tell you, soft teeth do not actually exist. Those who end up thinking they have soft teeth are actually dealing with teeth that can't properly stand up against daily wear and tear, even with great hygiene habits.
What actually causes "soft" teeth?
Teeth can be far more susceptible to cavities from damaged enamel because of acid reflux and/or heartburn. Stomach acid finds its way from the stomach to your mouth and esophagus. As a result, your teeth get exposed to the kind of acid that causes erosions. Stomach acid causes far worse damage than soda, sugar, and other substances that are considered causes of cavities.
There are several other factors that can make enamel weak and add to the widespread "soft teeth" misconception:
- Baby teeth infection
- Bacteria
- Dental decay
- Fever
- Hormonal imbalance
- Malnutrition
- Trauma
- Vitamin deficiency
It should be noted that confusing bad oral health with having "soft" teeth should not occur.
When can you say with certainty that your teeth are "soft"?
Understandably, you might find yourself in a situation wherein you've theorized that you have "soft" teeth, or that the cavities you are getting involve "soft" teeth developing over time. That's most likely a big no.
A tooth will get weak or be softer if you go through an event or experience that causes damage to your teeth in the development stage. With the exception of your wisdom teeth, at around 14 years old, teeth stop development in general. So unless you had a lot of bacteria in your baby teeth or several infections, you were really sick, or there was an issue with malnutrition, there's no chance that your teeth are soft.
Of course, teeth can still weaken. This is due to a number of factors, like acid reflux, irregular dental hygiene upkeep, or consuming a lot of sugary food such as chocolates. It just means that there is little to no change to your teeth having thinning or weak enamel.
Moreover, teeth will have a different appearance when they are weak. Look for brown spots, chalky spots, or anything similarly unusual. Look normal? No findings by your local dentist? Then there's pretty much nothing "soft" about your teeth. Nothing, in turn, to get worried about.
Conclusion
Majority of people are under the misconception that teeth can become soft after certain events, like pregnancy or new allergies. This is not the case. Cavities, for example, are either from bad oral hygiene or bad dietary choices. Simply put, "soft" teeth are a long-standing dental myth that doesn’t actually exist.
Looking for an affordable dentist in Waterford and other areas of MI? Reach out to Dental House MI today! We are a dental practice with a multitude of services, such as preventive dentistry and oral surgery.
