Did You Know Your Teeth Are Significantly Worn Down? – An Easily Overlooked Habit

“It doesn’t hurt right now, but…”

The reason I still take the time to mention it

Hello.

I am Dr. Yeo Sang-ho of Yonsei Wish Dental Clinic,

where we add natural beauty

to healthy teeth.

In the course of treatment,

there are some things that, technically,

we could leave unexplained.

They do not pose a major problem

when treating the area that hurts right away,

and the patient does not feel any particular discomfort.

However, even in those situations,

there is one thing I tend to take a little time

to explain.

It is the story of “biting force,” or occlusion.

Did you know your teeth are significantly worn down?

This is a question I ask quite often

during examinations, more frequently than you might expect.

I thought my teeth had always looked like this.

I am getting a little older,

so I guess they have worn down.

Of course, teeth also

wear down gradually when they are used for a long time.

But as a specialist in conservative dentistry,

what I look at more carefully is

whether the speed and pattern of this wear

are within the normal range.

If you have a habit of clenching your teeth or grinding them,

or repeatedly applying unusual force

to just one tooth,

that wear may be occurring at an abnormal rate.

In such cases, teeth may wear down

much faster than expected,

and tiny cracks may develop

or the teeth may become loose.

To put it simply,

teeth can age

faster than your actual age.

Why I do not stop at looking only at the tooth that was treated

Let’s say, for example,

that we have treated one broken tooth.

Treating the broken area properly is certainly important,

but I think about it one step further:

Why did this tooth break?

Was it simply an accident, did decay develop,

or was strong force repeatedly applied

unconsciously?

If the cause lies

in a habit of applying excessive force,

and we treat only the broken area and stop there,

you may soon find yourself returning to the dentist.

That is why, even if the appointment takes a little longer,

I also examine the way the teeth come together

and the extent of wear,

whether you have a habit of clenching your teeth,

and other factors.

If necessary, I show these findings to the patient

and explain them.

It may not hurt right now,

but this is something you should know.

To use your natural teeth for a long time,

we also need to look at whether you have a “habit of applying force.”

In conservative dentistry,

treating painful teeth is important,

but I also believe it is important to consider

how long we can preserve your teeth.

A tooth without decay

is not necessarily a healthy tooth.

If it continues to receive strong forces,

the tooth may gradually wear down,

become loose,

and its lifespan may also be affected.

That is why I explain these things

even when they are not matters requiring immediate treatment.

If the information is necessary

for using your teeth for a long time,

then even if you look as though you are wondering

“Why is this being explained to me?”

I believe it is much better

than simply letting it pass,

so that you can understand the situation

and take care of your own teeth as well.

This was Dr. Yeo Sang-ho of Yonsei Wish Dental Clinic,

where we add beauty

to healthy teeth.

Thank you.

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