Santa Monica Dentist Talks About the Realities Of Attrition and Abrasion

Written by Dr. Follette on Mar 15, 2022

Both attrition and abrasion will change the way that your smile looks and feels over time. This short article from our Santa Monica dentist reviews the basics of attrition and abrasion. We’re also going to be talking about steps you can take to minimize the effects of these conditions.

Attrition

Attrition is the process by which dental enamel wears away due to tooth-on-tooth contact. Our top and bottom teeth come into contact with each other all of the time, when we chew and speak. Over time, this regular contact causes enamel to get thinner.

It’s impossible to completely eliminate attrition from our lives, as our teeth are bound to touch as a matter of course. However, there are things that we can do slow our rates of attrition, and maintain healthier smiles, longer.

Abrasion

While attrition refers to tooth-on-tooth contact, abrasion occurs when our teeth are worn down by outside forces. Toothbrushes, for example, can cause dental enamel to thin over time. This is especially likely if you use a firm-bristled brush, or if you apply a lot of pressure as you clean your smile. Anytime our teeth come into contact with something particularly hard, we risk abrasion.

Protective Measures

The goal of preventive treatment is to slow attrition and abrasion, so that we can maintain a healthy layer of protective dental enamel. With that in mind you can…

  • Use fluoridated products and treatments to strengthen dental enamel
  • Clean your teeth with the gentlest tools and products available
  • Seek treatment for dental grinding (bruxism) in a timely manner
  • Limit harmful habits, like nail-biting, and chewing on hard candies and ice
  • Minimize acid exposure, as acidic substances soften enamel

We hope that you have found this information to be useful and helpful. Remember, you can always learn more by calling our Santa Monica dentists and scheduling a personal consultation with our team. We are here to help!