Dentistry: It's More Than Drilling and Filling

Many people overlook problems with their teeth that don't seem to be critical, even if they impact them cosmetically. If your teeth are rough or ragged around the edges, you should highly consider seeking help from a restorative dentist. The raggedness of your teeth could be impacting more than just your looks - it could also be harming the health of your teeth. Here's what you should know about the risks you're currently facing.

Uneven Chewing Surface

When teeth become ragged on their chewing edges, it impacts the way that you grind and bite through food. While softer foods can still be torn easily by teeth like these, when you bite down on something hard or crunchy, these uneven chewing surfaces can become even more damaged.

This is because teeth are designed to have a relatively smooth, straight biting surface. Each tooth distributes the weight and pressure of chewing across itself evenly, minimizing wear and tear. But when you have ragged chewing surfaces, the bits of tooth that are protruding over those that have been worn down end up taking the majority of the force and doing most of the work. This can cause them to get worn down as well, gradually shortening your teeth.

Worn Down Enamel

Another problem you can end up facing with ragged teeth is that dental enamel tends to become thinner. Generally, teeth don't end up having a rough or ragged chewing surface unless the dental enamel has already been damaged. Once this damage is done, it can't be restored except by a dentist. Unfortunately, with thinned or weakened enamel, your risk of dental decay goes up dramatically, which can put the life of the entire tooth at risk.

Nearing Pulp

Having your teeth become shorter does more than just impact your appearance. While teeth are made of bone, they also contain softer components inside of themselves, like the pulp and dentin of the tooth. When a tooth is worn down badly enough that it becomes shorter than it should, it can start to impact these interior surfaces. If the tooth continues to be worn away, eventually these surfaces can be exposed, leading to a high risk of dental infection, decay, and potential pain, as the nerves are also hidden away in this part of the tooth.

Thankfully, avoiding or fixing these problems is as easy as going to a restorative dentist's office for help. Make an appointment and get your ragged teeth taken care of ASAP.