Crack. You hear that awful sound, and you freeze up—is it your tooth again? If you deal with frequent cracks, chips, and fractures, you may have brittle teeth that are prone to damage. This can be incredibly frustrating and expensive as you continue to get procedure after procedure to fix the problems.
Why are your teeth like this? Is there any way you can stop this cycle from happening? There are several reasons why your teeth are brittle and breaking, and though some are unavoidable, others are, in fact, preventable. Let’s look at the most common culprits.
Age-Related Enamel Wear
As you get older, your tooth enamel naturally wears down from years of use. Think of it like the tread on a tire—after decades of chewing, grinding, and daily wear, the protective outer layer becomes thinner. This leaves your teeth more vulnerable to cracks and breaks from normal activities like eating hard foods.
Your saliva production also decreases with age, which means less natural protection and remineralization for your teeth.
Grinding and Clenching Your Teeth
Do you wake up with a sore jaw or headaches? You might be grinding your teeth at night without realizing it. This habit, called bruxism, puts tremendous pressure on your teeth and can cause them to crack over time.
Stress often triggers teeth grinding, so if you’ve been dealing with more tension lately, your teeth might be paying the price.
Poor Nutrition and Dehydration
Your teeth need calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D to stay strong. Without these nutrients, they become weak and prone to breakage. Dehydration also reduces saliva production, leaving your teeth without their natural protective coating.
Are you drinking enough water throughout the day? Many people don’t realize how dehydration affects their oral health.
Acid Erosion from Foods and Drinks
Frequent consumption of acidic foods and beverages can weaken your tooth enamel. Citrus fruits, sodas, wine, and even some medications create an acidic environment in your mouth that slowly dissolves the protective enamel layer.
Coffee and tea, especially when consumed throughout the day, can also contribute to this erosion.
Previous Dental Work and Large Fillings
Teeth with large fillings or multiple procedures can become structurally compromised over time. The natural tooth structure around these restorations may weaken, creating stress points where cracks can develop.
Particularly bad cracks caused by this structural weakness can cause symptoms like severe pain when biting down or sensitivity to hot and cold, which may be a sign you need a root canal and the damage isn’t fixable by usual filling procedures.
Taking Action for Stronger Teeth
There are many reasons teeth could be brittle and breaking, but you’ll have a hard time narrowing down the cause without visiting your dentist. If you’re concerned about your dental health, book an appointment and express your concerns.
Your dentist can help you find solutions to decrease further damage and improve your oral health. Don’t wait until the next crack happens—prevention is always better than repair.
