Here's Why Weakened Tooth Enamel Makes Your Teeth Hurt
One of the biggest problems that people with weakened enamel experience on a daily basis is pain and sensitivity. If you're wondering why these conditions go hand-in-hand, then you should read this simple guide to find out.
What Enamel Does
Enamel is the hard shell of your tooth. The whole purpose of enamel is to protect the softer, more vulnerable surfaces of the tooth that are further in than the enamel. Enamel keeps out bacteria, plaque, and food debris, ensuring that those parts of the teeth aren't touched.
Nerves and the Surface
Unfortunately, when enamel is weakened or damaged, it can't do its job as well as one might like. The reason for this is that thinner enamel means that there's less protection between the interior surfaces of your teeth and the outside world.
In short, the reason why you're experiencing pain is because the nerves are closer to the surface. Nerves are extremely sensitive and designed to send signals when a touch is detected. That's why if you tap the outside of a tooth you can feel it, even though the tooth is made of bone.
When nerves are closer to the surface, they feel sensations more strongly. This can translate into a sensation of pain once those signals reach the brain. Unfortunately, there's no fix for this that can be accomplished at home—once the enamel is damaged, it's damaged.
What to Do
The good news is, just because you can't fix it at home doesn't mean that it can't be fixed. This is where a dentist can come in and help.
Tooth sensitivity can be taken care of in a few different ways. Your dentist can utilize a dental crown, veneer, or tooth filling in order to take care of the pain that you're in. Crowns and veneers act very similarly, except that a crown encapsulates the entire tooth while a veneer only covers the front. Your dentist will be able to determine which one you're better suited for based on where on the tooth enamel has been lost and you're experiencing pain from. Tooth fillings are typically used when a tooth is chipped and that's why sensitivity is occurring.
If you ever notice sensitivity or pain in your teeth, don't put off getting help. This is a sure sign that something is wrong, and the sooner you get help, the less likely you'll be to experience permanent damage.