Tooth Wear in Older Adults: Causes, Signs & Prevention

Tooth wear is an inevitable part of life. However, older adults will often suffer from increased wear to teeth as their enamel is worn away and their teeth break down. This is due to decades of teeth coming into contact with one another, chemical changes in the mouth, and health issues. Knowing why teeth wear can help seniors protect their natural enamel and keep them chewing and functioning!

Extensive research has shown that there aren’t usually one cause of tooth wear. But instead there are several habits, health issues and forces acting on your teeth over the years. Here are some of the main causes of increased tooth wear in older adults and how you can protect your teeth!

What Causes Decades of Everyday Contact to Wear Teeth?

The simplest cause of wear in older adults is just your teeth constantly coming into contact with various things. Every time you eat, have a snack or bite into something, your teeth are under pressure. This means that over 60/70/80 years, the outside enamel wears away.

• Natural Wear – Chewing hard or tough foods will cause the cusps on the back molars to become worn and flat. The edges on the front teeth will also get worn.

• Brushing Too Hard – Many older adults brush their teeth too hard. This will cause outside enamel on your teeth to be rubbed away and leave the inner yellow dentin.

• Toothpaste – Using abrasive whitening toothpastes will increase the rate of enamel wearing away. Especially around the gum-line.

How Does Increased Teeth Grinding and Clenching Cause Tooth Wear?

Teeth grinding and clenching are severely damaging to natural teeth. Whilst young people will suffer from this, older adults will suffer more.

• Sleeping – Many older adults grind their teeth whilst asleep. This will cause micro cracks, chipping and flatter teeth.

• Stress – Stress, life changes or ongoing health issues can cause jaw clenching. This will place pressure on older teeth.

• Uneven Bite – When back teeth are lost or moved around over the years, your other teeth will suffer uneven pressures causing enamel to wear quicker.

How Does Dry Mouth Increase Tooth Wear?

Saliva is the natural protection of your mouth. Saliva removes loose food particles, neutralizes harmful acids and helps remineralise your teeth with minerals such as calcium and phosphate.

• Medications – Many prescription medications are used by older adults. These include blood pressure medication, anti histamine, anti depressants and diuretics. All of these cause dry mouths.

• Age – Salivary glands will naturally produce less saliva as you age.

• Enamel Softens Quickly – Without enough saliva to protect your teeth, your enamel will soften very quickly when in contact with everyday acids.

How Does Acid Erosion Cause Tooth Wear?

Acid erosion is when strong acids cause your enamel to dissolve. Once your enamel is softened by acids, everyday brushing and chewing will wear your teeth.

• Drinking Acids – Drinking acidic drinks regularly such as citrus juice, acidic teas, sports drinks and fizzy drinks.

• Acid Reflux – Many older adults suffer from acid reflux (GERD). This causes stomach acid to travel up your throat and cause your upper teeth inner surfaces to dissolve.

• Taking Medication – Chewing tablets such as Vitamin C, Aspirin or some liquid medication will cause high levels of acid on your teeth.

How Does Gum Recession Increase Tooth Wear?

Many older adults suffer from gum recession. This could be caused by having gum disease in the past, brushing too hard or thinning gums. This will cause the gum line to recede and reveal the sensitive roots of your teeth.

• Exposed Cementum – Roots have a thin layer of protection called cementum. This is much softer than enamel. Once your root is exposed, your teeth will wear up to 10 times quicker.

• Deep Notch – The edge where your crown meets your exposed root will cause deep V notches to form (ab-fraction lesion).

• Sensitivity – As the soft root tissue wears away, the micro-tubules will be exposed. This causes sensitivity when eating hot, cold or sweet foods.

How Do Changes Within Your Teeth Increase Tooth Wear?

As you get older, the composition of your teeth will change. This makes your teeth more brittle and cause them to wear quicker.

• Loss of Moisture – As your dentin ages, it will lose its natural moisture and become less flexible. This means your teeth are more likely to crack.

• Micro Cracks – Hot soups and cold drinks over the years will cause micro cracks to form in your enamel.

• Thinner Enamel – Your enamel will become thinner as you age. This will cause the yellow dentin to show through more, making your teeth look darker.

What Are the Simple Ways to Reduce Tooth Wear?

• Use a soft bristled toothbrush and gently brush using circular motions.

• Use a non-abrasive toothpaste with fluoride to help remineralise your teeth and protect sensitive roots.

• Rinse your mouth with water after eating acidic foods, drinking citrus juice or having acid reflux.

• Wait at least 30 minutes before brushing your teeth after eating acidic foods.

• Drink water throughout the day to keep your mouth hydrated and promote saliva. This will help remove any food particles.

• Speak to your dentist about a custom night guard if you experience jaw pain, headaches or flattened teeth when waking.

• Visit your dentist every 6 months so that they can see any early signs of enamel wear and apply fluoride varnish.

What Are the Frequently Asked Questions About Tooth Wear?

Can Teeth Regrow?

No. Your body cannot regrow any worn enamel. Enamel doesn’t contain any living cells. However, using fluoridated toothpastes and varnishes will help harden the enamel and protect it from further damage.

How Do I Know If I Have Dry Mouth?

Symptoms of dry mouth include a dry feeling, difficulty swallowing dry foods, dry tongue, constant thirst and bad breath. If you are experiencing these symptoms along with sensitivity or worn teeth, ask your dentist to check your saliva.

Is Teeth Grinding More Dangerous for Older Teeth?

Yes. Older adults will have worn enamel. This means that teeth grinding can cause the inner soft dentin to show very quickly. This increases the risk of your teeth cracking and can damage any existing crowns or fillings.

How Does Acid Reflux Affect Senior Teeth?

Stomach acid is very acidic and will cause your enamel to dissolve. Often acid reflux happens when you’re asleep meaning that your back molars sit in the acid for hours. This will cause your enamel to soften but won’t hurt until severe damage occurs.

Tooth wear in older adults can be caused by many factors. Including contact, dry mouth, acid erosion, gum recession and teeth grinding. Knowing these factors can help seniors and carers take positive steps to protect their teeth. Working with your dental team, gently caring for your teeth, keeping hydrated and using mouth guards will help keep your natural teeth functioning!