How to Increase Enamel on Teeth Naturally and Effectively

Teeth enamel is the outermost layer of your teeth that protects the inner layers such as dentin and pulp against bacteria, cavities, infection and other discomforts. Even though it is highly durable, it can wear down due to daily activities such as chewing, biting or breaking down food.
Once the tooth enamel is lost, it cannot be regenerated fully. Loss of enamel leads to tooth decay and eventually loss of teeth. However, you can prevent this by following certain steps. These steps do not fully restore the enamel, but they can strengthen it and make it resilient enough to prevent future damage to your teeth. Keep reading to know how to increase the enamel of teeth naturally and effectively.
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ToggleCan You Really Increase Tooth Enamel Naturally?
The answer to this is complex. As the tooth enamel cannot be regenerated by the human body, offense is the best defense in this case. In simple words, you need to take some preventive measures to keep the enamel health intact and also to repair or strengthen the existing enamel.
Remineralization is the best way to ensure great enamel health. It can be done through maintaining good oral hygiene, avoiding acidic foods and beverages, and staying hydrated for optimal saliva production.
Understanding Tooth Enamel: Why It Needs Protection
Tooth enamel is extremely important for your overall oral health. It not only protects the delicate inner layers of teeth but also gives your teeth their white color. The inner layers of your teeth are vulnerable to external elements such as acids, infection and bacteria. Once exposed, it can lead to severe dental problems. This makes tooth enamel highly important.
Why does it need protection? Well…it’s pretty straightforward – once tooth enamel is lost, it cannot be regenerated. Since it does not have any living cells, our body cannot regrow it once worn down. Therefore, prevention is your key to keeping your oral, and eventually overall, health in the best shape.
10 Natural Ways to Strengthen Tooth Enamel at Home
Your oral health reflects your overall body health. Tooth enamel is the key player in keeping your oral health intact as it’s your teeth’s first line of defense. Naturally, its protection is necessary to avoid severe oral health issues. The most effective natural home remedies to keep enamel healthy involve your oral hygiene habits, diet and lifestyle.
Here are 10 natural and effective ways to strengthen your tooth enamel at home and protect your smile for years to come.
1. Stay Hydrated
Drinking an optimal amount of water ensures great saliva production. Our saliva contains minerals that are beneficial for enamel care. Moreover, when you drink water, it rinses your mouth and wash away food particles, acids or other unwanted substances from your mouth promoting a healthy environment.
2. Avoid Sugary and Acidic Foods
Sugary/Acidic foods and beverages cause enamel erosion. Instead, opt for non-sugar alternatives such as diet or sugar-free soft drinks.
3. Use a Nightguard
Tooth grinding or clenching can significantly wear down the enamel, making your teeth prone to cracks, sensitivity and even teeth loss. A good quality nightguard can prevent this and ultimately prevent damage to your enamel.
4. Use Fluoride Toothpaste or Mouthwash
Good dental hygiene is the best way to stop enamel erosion. Using fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash promotes remineralization and redeposit the lost minerals to your enamel, making it resilient to future damage.
5. Floss Daily
Brushing cannot reach each corner of your teeth. Thus, flossing is the way to remove food particles stuck in between your teeth and eventually avoid enamel erosion in those areas.
6. Regular Dental Checkups
Regular dental checkups help you catch the early signs of enamel erosion. Ultimately, you can address those issues before they become too severe.
7. Eat Calcium-Rich Food
Calcium is crucial to build strong and durable enamel. Add calcium-rich foods like yogurt, cheese, milk, kale, spinach and almonds to your diet to ensure adequate calcium intake.
8. Eat Phosphorus-Rich Food
Similarly as calcium, phosphorus is responsible for maintaining better enamel health. Foods like eggs, fish, poultry and meat can be the best options as they are excellent phosphorus sources.
9. Follow Vitamin-Rich Diet
Vitamins like K2, E, A and D play a key role in maintaining your overall oral health. Choosing foods fatty fish, leafy greens and carrots is suggested in this case.
10. Chew Sugar-Free Gums
Saliva is a great source of minerals for enamel. Chewing sugar-free gums results in increased saliva production and ultimately making it beneficial for your enamel health.
Top 5 Enamel-Boosting Foods to Add to Your Diet
You need food and drinks that are rich in vitamins, calcium and phosphorus to boost enamel. Also, the foods that promote saliva production are good for keeping your enamel healthy.
The following are the top 5 enamel-boosting foods and why they are beneficial.
Crunchy Fruits and Vegetables
Chewing more increases saliva production naturally. Foods like celery, carrots and apples, which require a lot of chewing, boost saliva production which helps neutralize acids and prevent enamel erosion.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish are rich in Vitamin D which helps your body absorb more calcium. Fish like sardines and salmon are great sources of Vitamin D and are considered crucial for boosting your enamel health.
Dairy Products
Dairy products are rich in minerals like calcium and phosphates. Cheese, yogurt and milk promote remineralization and strengthen your tooth enamel.
Nuts and Seeds
Almonds, Brazil Nuts, and sesame seeds are great sources of calcium and phosphorus. Adding them to your diet promotes enamel health.
Leafy Greens
Kale, spinach and other leafy green vegetables contain a good amount of folic acid and calcium that aids the body in maintaining stronger and durable enamel.
The Hidden Enemy: How Acidic Foods Destroy Your Enamel
Acidic foods and beverages may seem harmless to many; however, they are the biggest enemies of your tooth enamel. They lower the pH level in your mouth and not only prevent remineralization but also promote enamel erosion. Increased consumption of sugary treats, carbonated drinks, vinegar-based dressings or citrus fruits drops the pH to around 5.5 when your enamel starts to demineralize.
Over time, with continuous consumption of such foods and drinks, your enamel wears down, making your teeth more vulnerable to cavities, sensitivity, structural damage, discoloration, and more. Now that we know that enamel cannot be regrown once lost, preventing it is crucial. Reducing acid-rich foods and drinks, rinsing your mouth after acidic foods and using fluoride toothpaste can keep your enamel intact and ensure a bright and healthy smile for years to come.
Does Enamel Actually Grow Back?
No. Tooth enamel cannot grow back once worn down. Since it has no living cells, blood supply or nerves, our body cannot regenerate itself.
While it’s impossible to restore enamel, dentists suggest several preventive steps to keep it strong for a lifetime. Most of these steps revolve around the remineralization of enamel through using fluoride toothpaste/mouthwash, reducing acidic foods and staying hydrated.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Tooth enamel is essential for maintaining strong oral health, yet many people still have questions about its care and function. To help clear up common doubts, we’ve compiled answers to some of the most frequently asked questions in this section. Let’s explore them together.
Q1. What is the best natural way to restore enamel?
While enamel cannot be restored fully, it’s best to be proactive about your oral health. Certain ways can partially restore or strengthen it, making it more resilient to future damage. They are as follows:
- Using fluoride toothpaste
- Staying hydrated
- Increase calcium and phosphorus intake
- Chew sugar-free gum
- Limit acidic foods
Q2. Can tooth enamel be restored by eating certain foods?
Foods and drinks that are rich in vitamins, calcium and phosphorus can promote enamel health. Check the list below to name a few:
- Fatty Fish
- Nuts and Seeds
- Dairy Products
- Leafy Greens
Q3. How long does it take to strengthen enamel naturally?
Remineralization can promote enamel health and this process can take up to several months. It’s a gradual process and the timing depends mainly on the extent of the enamel erosion.
Q4. Does drinking lemon water harm enamel?
Yes. Lemon water is acidic and it is bad for your enamel health. The pH level of lemon water is between 2-3, which is significant enough to cause erosion over time.
Q5. Is oil pulling effective for enamel health?
Oil pulling promotes your oral health. However, there isn’t any reliable evidence yet that suggests it promotes enamel health particularly. Oil pulling can definitely reduce bacteria and plaque that can be dangerous for your enamel.
Conclusion: Natural Care for Stronger Teeth
Our teeth are exposed to food every day and the loss of minerals that occur over time is unavoidable. The enamel layer on your teeth is extremely strong and built to withstand many discomforts.
However, the wear and tear eventually cause the deterioration of enamel, making your teeth exposed to cavities, structural issues, discoloration and more. Thus, preventing tooth enamel naturally is your perfect way to maintain long-lasting oral health.