Title: Tooth Cupping: What is it and how can it be prevented?

You may have heard about tooth cupping, or you may have it and don’t know why or what it is. Tooth cupping is where parts of your tooth erode. The erosion presents as small cups on the tooth. Tooth cupping is rare and can be prevented by practicing good oral hygiene. In this article, we will explain what tooth cupping is and how you can prevent it. If you have already noticed tooth cupping, we will tell you how it happened and what you should do.

Symptoms of Tooth Cupping

The early symptoms are how your teeth look and feel. If you run your tongue over your teeth, you may feel indentations. This is a sign of tooth cupping.

Regular dental check-ups are important. If you look in the mirror and notice that you can’t see all of your teeth, you might be missing something. A dentist can examine your teeth better than you can. They can see and track changes in your oral health. They can see early signs of erosion in places you can’t.

Early signs of erosion need to be dealt with immediately. If erosion is allowed to sit, it will go past tooth cupping and lead to pain, infection, loss of tooth, and sensitivity.

What Causes Tooth Cupping

Acidic beverages and foods can cause tooth cupping because the acid can cause damage to the enamel and dentin parts of your tooth. Erosion can happen because of internal and external reasons. You can read more about erosion at the American Dental Association.

Internal factors can cause erosion because of the acids that are in your mouth. If these acids are always present either from constant vomiting, gastroesophageal reflux, and drinking alcohol excessively. You can also get acid reflux from being pregnant, but it shouldn’t happen often enough to cause tooth cupping.

External factors that can cause tooth cupping are as follows:

• Acidic Foods- Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits can erode tooth enamel.

• Medication-Certain medications can cause dry mouth. This can cause tooth decay. If you have an inhaler, rinse your mouth and brush your teeth, as an inhaler can cause erosion.

• Beverages-Drinks like soda, alcohol, energy drinks, and fruit juice can lead to tooth decay.

• Environmental factors- If you are exposed to airborne acids daily, you have an increased risk for tooth decay. 

• Drugs- Doing drugs like meth and cocaine can break down tooth enamel and cause dry mouth, which leads to tooth decay.

• Tobacco-Chewing tobacco can harm your overall oral health. 

Treatments for Tooth Cupping

There is a couple of treatments for tooth cupping. The method used depends upon your dentist and how far gone the erosion is. Your dentist may suggest bonding to fix your tooth erosion. Bonding is the process of filling the eroded part of the tooth with a material. The material will match the color of your tooth.

If the damage done is more serious, your dentist may suggest a crown.

How to Prevent Tooth Cupping

Because you use your teeth every day, you can expect some wear and tear. While this can’t be avoided, you can prevent erosion and tooth cupping by practicing good oral hygiene and stay away from the aforementioned risk factors.

You can prevent tooth erosion by brushing your teeth and tongue twice a day. You can also use an antimicrobial mouth rinse. Another way to prevent tooth decay is to visit a dentist regularly. Regular checkups will help you stay in front of any dental problems and help you maintain good oral health.