what causes a tooth abrasion?

[broadway]

What causes a tooth abrasion ?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[jstaples]

Just about anything CAN cause tooth abrasion when applied repeatedly to the teeth. But usually it is caused by over-aggressive brushing.

 

[dinesh]

Use soft bristles vs Hard.

 

[johntara04]

Tooth abrasion is most commonly caused by over-aggressive brushing. You should use the softest bristle you can. Most of the abrasive "power" needed to clean the teeth is found in the inorganic salts found in toothpaste, not from your biceps. Hold the toothbrush with you fore (pointer) finger and thumb. You can use your middle finger if needed. This will not let you apply too much force to the toothbrush when flossing.

 

[aphistis]

What causes a tooth abrasion ?

Rubbing it against something--bristle, another tooth, sandpaper, etc.

 

[DrJeff]

My personal favorite abrasion causer is the way over bulked convex lingual surface of a maxiallry anterior PFM crown acting on those poor defenseless incisal edges of the lower anteriors😱

 

[crazy_sherm]

It it's tooth on tooth contact, wouldn't that be classified as attrition instead of abrasion? Well, assuming that it's not someone taking an extracted tooth and scraping their other teeth with it.

 

[nhasigioi]

I'm with Dr. Jeff. Although attrition is caused by tooth-tooth contact, porcelain is not part of the teeth. It's considered "external" material. Thus, it's classified as abrasion.

 

[johntara04]

I'm with Dr. Jeff. Although attrition is caused by tooth-tooth contact, porcelain is not part of the teeth. It's considered "external" material. Thus, it's classified as abrasion.

I think he was asking aphistis.

 

[1992Corolla]

Is this question on the boards? Just curious.

 

[rals]

toothpaste containing calcium carbonate which is a milder abrasive than some others might help reduce this as well.

 

[aphistis]

It it's tooth on tooth contact, wouldn't that be classified as attrition instead of abrasion? Well, assuming that it's not someone taking an extracted tooth and scraping their other teeth with it.

I was taught that attrition (abnormal wear against opposing natural teeth) is technically a subcategory of abrasion (abnormal wear against any material)--but I can't imagine anyone other than teaching prosthodontists getting worked up over the taxonomy of mechanical disorders of occlusion 🙂 Sorry if I confused you.

 

[doc toothache]

What causes a tooth abrasion ?

The etiology of tooth abrasion includes toothbrushes and abrasive toothpaste, erosion and abfraction (stress flexure). Clinically, non carious cervical lesions are far less common on the lingual than on the facial surfaces lending credence to the theory that class V abrasions are more likely to come from aggressive toothbrushing with hard bristles and abrasive toothpaste then from erosion, stress corrosion and the piezoelectric effect. Lesions at or below the gingival margin are more likely to appear as a result of chemical erosion.

see http://jada.ada.org/cgi/reprint/133/6/725.pdf

 

[pmantz]

Opening a beer with your teeth.

 

[ptrianon]

Does anyone think that stuff like hexametaphosphate in crest vivid white/crest pro health can cause tooth abrasion?

 

[doc toothache]

Does anyone think that stuff like hexametaphosphate in crest vivid white/crest pro health can cause tooth abrasion?

Conceivably yes since it dissolves slowly in water.

 

[DrJeff]

Conceivably yes since it dissolves slowly in water.

On an anecdotal note, my teeth have shown no signs of abrasion courtesy of Crest Prohealth thats applied 4 minutes a day with my Braun-Oral B sonic complete for the last year

 

[Cold Front]

Is this question on the boards? Just curious.

It's covered as a question in the dental anatomy section of the dental decks - so I would certainly think so.

 

[generationX]

Vigorous brushing in horizontal manner.

 

[dark_horse]

one curious side note about toothpaste, the whitening kinds, since they are more abrasive than non-whitening ones, will dull composite fillings.

as for toothbrush abrasion, I like to give my patients my comments on plaque vs butter. Same consistency, therefore you wouldn't reach for a SOS pad to scrub butter off your plates, so why would you use a med/hard toothbrush to scrub your teeth?? That usually gets a good chuckle...and the point across.

 

[dentalmental]

Here's something I never got an answer to, I hope i get it here. We all know that hard tooth brushes can damage the gingivae and enamel. Why manufacture them in the first place... why are they in the market?

 

[SuperC]

Here's something I never got an answer to, I hope i get it here. We all know that hard tooth brushes can damage the gingivae and enamel. Why manufacture them in the first place... why are they in the market?

Demand determines what is manufactured and while soft brushes are better, if used properly, I would think that a hard brush will not cause any damage. (STRESS proper usage)
-C

 

[johntara04]

Here's something I never got an answer to, I hope i get it here. We all know that hard tooth brushes can damage the gingivae and enamel. Why manufacture them in the first place... why are they in the market?

Companies make products that will make them money. IF used properly, hard bristles can be effective with minimal damage. The problem is people don't use them properly. Now, they are in the market because people think that hardest possible bristle + as much pressure as possible = clean teeth. If people would listen to their dentists and stop buying hard bristles, then the companies would quit making them. It is that simple.

 

[BOND JAMES BOND]

Many of you failed to mention the role of traumatic occlusion in cervical abrasion. Loss of tissue attachment from traumatic occlusion is the main culprit.
Brushing gently with a soft brush on cementum will still cause abrasion.