Throughout the day our teeth are constantly losing minerals whenever we eat food or consume acidic beverages. This mineral losing process is known as tooth demineralization and it happens when the outermost layer of our teeth (called the Enamel) begins to lose its protecting mineral layer and weakens.
Thankfully our own saliva contains minerals such as calcium and phosphate that help restore and repair our teeth by depositing these minerals back into our enamel. However, our teeth are not invincible and whenever this balance of mineral repair and mineral loss leans more towards the latter, our teeth run the risk of weakening and getting cavities.
What exactly causes Tooth Demineralization?
Whenever bacteria in our mouth break down food that contain fermentable carbohydrates (sugars), they produce acids that little by little begin to remove minerals from the outer layer of our tooth called the enamel. Consuming acidic drinks like soda, orange juice and coffee also contributes to tooth demineralization.
For the most part, losing these minerals isn't a big concern unless your saliva doesn't contain enough calcium and phosphate to repair these areas by the process of remineralization, OR you have an excessive amount of demineralization as a result of consuming too many acidic drinks and/or snacking throughout the day. When too much tooth deminerization has occurred, the tooth will begin to show white chalky areas known as white spot lesions. This is often the first step of tooth decay and if not treated properly it can develop into a cavity.
If you notice any of these white chalky areas on any of your teeth, its recommended that you begin using products that can help reserve this process. We suggest using a product called MI Paste since it contains CCP-ACP which helps deliver calcium and phosphate ions to the enamel. Thank you for reading this blog post, if you have any questions please leave them in the comment section below. If you enjoyed and found it educational please share it with your friends and family and follow us on Instagram. It only takes 1 minute of your time and it helps us out a lot. Thanks :)