Ways to Strengthen Tooth Enamel

Having strong tooth enamel is the difference between having healthy teeth and experiencing tooth decay and cavities. Enamel is a translucent hard shell that covers your teeth and protects them from cold and hot temperatures and daily activities such as chewing, biting and grinding. When exposed to harmful sources, your enamel can erode, split or crack, making your teeth vulnerable. To avoid this from happening, strengthening your enamel is essential.

Brushing Your Teeth

• Brushing your teeth with a toothpaste containing fluoride helps maintain and promote the strength of your tooth enamel. Foods and beverages that you consume attack the surface of your teeth leading to loss of minerals from the enamel layer. Mineral loss can be restored with the use of fluoride in the form of an over-the-counter toothpaste or rinse. Look for commercial toothpastes that focus on reinforcing tooth enamel. For a stronger concentration of fluoride, your dentist can apply a fluoride gel to your teeth. Fluoride supplements, liquids and tablets are also available to strengthen enamel, but have to be obtained through a doctor's prescription.

Diet

• Throughout your life, the foods you eat affect the health of your teeth. By eating the right foods, you can strengthen your enamel. Look for products that are rich in calcium, vitamin D and phosphorous because these strengthen your tooth enamel. Dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese are good options. If you are lactose intolerant, soy milk is a good calcium-rich alternative. Dark green vegetables, such as bok choy, kale and spinach also contain enamel-strengthening vitamins and minerals. Protein from fish, meats and eggs is another good source of phosphorous.

Chewing Gum

• Chewing sugar-free gum sweetened with xylitol promotes strong tooth enamel because it stimulates the saliva flow in your mouth. Saliva plays an important part when it comes to dental health. It washes away food particles and rinses your mouth and also delivers minerals to your teeth. If you eat acid-rich foods that can damage your enamel, consider chewing a piece of sugar-free gum afterward. The gum will combat the attack of the acid on your teeth. Drinking water and swishing it around in your mouth also rinses your teeth and promotes saliva flow therefore reducing enamel damage.

Avoiding Damage

• Avoiding damage to your tooth enamel helps promote and maintain its strength. Acids from foods and beverages such as citrus fruits, fruit juices, vinegar, salad dressings and pickles all have a damaging affect on tooth enamel. To avoid this damage, you can limit the consumption of these foods. Drinking acid-rich liquids through a straw shields your enamel because it transports the liquid to the back of your mouth. Avoid biting hard objects or opening bottles with your teeth because this can damage enamel. If you grind your teeth in your sleep, consider wearing a mouth guard to avoid enamel damage.