Tooth re-mineralization is very VALUABLE TO KNOW

Process for tooth decay

How do our teeth get weakened enamel and structure? There are natural processes going on within our mouths that both cause this and fight this. Your saliva is fighting the decay process. Many things can contribute and escalate the process. Whitening, acids, plaque, and sugar are agents that can escalate the degradation.

The enamel becomes lessened in 2 ways. It is a hard outer layer to the tooth that can become more thin on the surface, but the tooth structure can also become more porous. Both of these results can cause tooth sensitivity. There is a treatment that we can do that can help the teeth to improve and aid in strengthening them. In the process, it can reduce tooth sensitivity.

The battle going on for your teeth

The process of tooth decay is a subtle one. It is started by acid-producing bacteria in the dental plaque on teeth. Plaque is capable of holding the acid in contact with the tooth. This acid is neutralized by saliva in around 2 hours thankfully, but plaque on the teeth can shield it from this process. Acid contact to them can cause calcium and phosphate minerals to be dissolved out of the enamel.

When the plaque acid gets neutralized, the minerals can return to the surface. The mineralization process can be impeded by sugars in the mouth. In the case where a cavity starts, the bacteria can get into the weakened surface locations. This condition allows tooth decay to start.

What are the problems?

Now there is the matter of acid and sugar in our mouths. This is increased by the food and drink that we enjoy. They can increase the acid content in our mouths and act against the good work the saliva does to counteract acid effects. Over time this has a damaging effect on the surface.

What we can do about it

We can take actions to neutralize and protect our teeth from this destructive process. I happen to enjoy sugarless gum for this. This is also an item that is small and easy to carry around with you to have handy during your day. When brushing right after eating is not possible, this is a great choice. I make sure to have sugarless gum with me on road trip adventures.

How it helps

Our saliva contains calcium, phosphate, and fluoride that perform mineralization for our tooth enamel and maintain surface strength and quality. There are additional re-mineralization processes that we can use to improve the strength and health of our teeth in much the same way.

This is in a more concentrated form that can be applied directly to the teeth to bring about improvement of their surface. It is treatment that is connected to the teeth whitening industry. This re-mineralizing gel can give additional mineralization to strengthen the enamel. It was originally developed to counteract the minerals removed in the whitening process. That is the reason for increased teeth sensitivity after whitening.

My experience

I have been using re-mineralization gels and feel that I am doing benefit to my teeth. Simply by knowing the facts about the processes both in the mouth and this gel, I feel very strongly that it works. There are many studies on the improvement of tooth condition brought about by calcium, phosphate, fluoride, and minerals…feel free to research them…that is how I started down this road.

Receded gums

My experience

I had braces as a child. Now they are beautiful and well aligned, but extremely receded gums. I am one of those rare people who’s gums shrink away from metal. My orthodontist told me that in some cases this happens to people and the reason is not fully understood. The braces and retainers can harbor bacteria that lead to problems.

Without the braces, I would not have found this out. There was a set of metal loops on my retainer that went high up my canine teeth. I now have many areas that have receded on the outer surface of the tooth roots decades later and those canine are the worst.

Better choices now…

Today there are many other choices for straightening teeth that do not use metal. Braces might no longer do this, but there are other processes that can cause gums to recede. Some of the many things that can cause this: gum disease (some people are genetically more susceptible), damage from tooth brushing (hormones can cause softened gums), poor dental care,  smoking (causes sticky plaque), grinding teeth, repeated friction, and even throwing up (or acid reflux).

My solutions

Surprisingly, I have not had too much suffering with sensitive roots. I now use special toothpaste for sensitive teeth that help tooth quality as well. I started thinking that I could apply something to my teeth to help them build up the enamel and structure. This investigation led me to the re-mineralizing gels used in whitening. They were exactly what I was looking for and exactly the ingredients to provide this help.

Other approaches

Prevention

There is another approach to consider. This is one of prevention. It can be used in combination with re-mineralizing gel as well. One particular item of interest I found in this method was natural teeth cleaner without the hydrated silica found in mainstream toothpaste. That is a point of concern and an important one to those with gums that are receded, who are wearing away exposed roots with time and brushing. The silica common in pretty much all mainstream toothpaste works like scouring powder.

Combat the acid approach

This is another approach that you might be interested in trying. It is fluoride-free. Some people do not like fluoride or should not use it (ex. Hypothyroid). This brand line provides a combination of ingredients designed to add more alkaline. When the decay problem arises from being too acidic, one approach is to counteract the acid with alkaline. There are ways to make your diet more alkaline as well.

Diet

Minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium)

vitamins (A, C, D, E and K)

Gelatin

Some like coconut oil both internal and external use

Why not try them?!?!

I highly recommend re-mineralizing gel for improving tooth strength and quality, and most especially if you have exposed roots. These gels and the teeth trays to use with them are both extremely inexpensive! Why not try them?!?!

Re-mineralization gels

I am using this one and I typically get 3 or more uses out of each syringe

If you are shopping around, be sure to check the ingredient information, they don’t always contain the ingredient combination I have discussed. If they do have the proper ingredients or do not provide the ingredient list, I will not have them here.
5 syringes

Teeth trays

Boil and Bite type

I got the 10 pc “Boil and bite” set because I was buying for both my husband and I. The large number of trays in that set cost about the same as the smaller sets. Not being sure how well I would do at the boil to fit process, I read the reviews and came to some good advice on how best to do the procedure. The fit-to-teeth heating process was not a success for me, but I came to realize that I don’t really care. The tray holds the gel onto your teeth just fine and a form fitted tray would probably only prove to be annoying to me.

Great tray choices

I think the process of putting on and removing a closely fitted tray and the possible spillage involved could easily become a nuisance. Hopefully this information will help you in deciding what teeth trays are most suited for your choice. A good policy to follow is to soak them in alcohol for at least 20 minutes before I use them. I store them in zip lock bags, but I only zip them closed if they are fully dry.

No fluoride tooth paste (not silica free)

This is another approach that you might be interested in trying. It is fluoride-free, natural ingredients, uses amino acids to close the pores and lower sensitivity for your teeth. Mint

Whitening toothpaste – Peppermint

Silica-free tooth paste

This product is quite unique and a great choice if you are concerned about the hydrated silica present in all mainstream toothpastes. I like this idea very much. They describe this as being more like soap than toothpaste and recommend following this with their teeth powder to reduce mouth acid. This is a small quantity for trial size. You can get this in larger quantity.

Silica-free tooth powder

This is the best selling 8 oz size and the 2 oz trial size of their tooth powder. If you like this product, there are many larger quantities choices available.

Cavity treatment, and future alternatives coming soon

If you want to know about some developments in dealing with cavities, both down the road and current use…this article discusses it. There are also eye drops that can dissolve cataracts without surgery. This information is also covered in the article.

Technology for regrowing teeth coming… HUMAN TRIALS!

This is exciting! I have seen lots of these type of technologies being studied. The one I was most excited about was coming from a scientist in Japan… big news about an actual product available for adding artificial enamel… that disappeared. This one is again out of Japan and is not even as far along in development, but far more exciting.

There is a drug that triggers an enzyme in current use that can be placed into a cleaned up cavity hole, soaked in a sponge. The enzyme just grows the pulp, but there is no enamel. This NEW ONE is a drug that regrows the WHOLE TOOTH. “The team plans to hold a clinical trial for the drug from 2025 for children between 2 and 6 years old with anodontia, who are born without some or all permanent teeth.”