I have a huge chip in my enamel

[MisterJ]

Hi guys, I just joined this forum to get some answers regarding my horrible enamel issues. I will be 25 this April and ever since I was 18 my teeth have been super sensitive due to what my dentists said was a "receding gumline." They told me to brush my teeth more gently and use sensitivity tooth paste, etc.

This small notch in my tooth has since developed into a big ugly chip with the dentine exposed. I can see the yellowish color underneath and can feel the "notch" between the enamel and the underneath area. The area underneath hurts when it touches sugar and such.

I have not been brushing my teeth or flossing as much as I should for a couple of years, yet I still have this "receding gumline." It doesn't look like a receding gumline as my tooth looks like a normal length. Could this chip be due to my acidic food intake?

I will be starting proper dental care again, just gone through a period of depression combined with laziness.

But anyway, is this just a normal thing for chipped enamel, and can anything be done about it? I'm making an appointment to the dentist soon. Can I at least stop the progress before my entire tooth's surface is completely gone?

I do drink a lot of soda and fruit juices...and eat a lot of carbohydrates, and basically everything which is bad for your teeth. I heard drinking with a straw can help?

As an added bonus, it has been growing for some time and my dentist never mention it unless I bring up the sensitivity, so could this be normal?

Any feedback on why this is happening and what can be done would be much appreciated! Thank you so much in advance!

 

[rob wain]

I think that whet you're describing is called an abfraction cavity - it develops at the gum margin near the edge of the enamel shell. It is thought to be related to tooth grinding but is worse with over vigorous or poor technique brushing. If you have thin gums that are prone to recession this makes matters worse.
The dentine is exposed in the notch and can be very sensitive particularly to hot/cold/sweet/acid.
Best advise is regular visits with hygienist for gentle cleaning. A careful but thorough home care cleaning regime with an electric tooth brush.
Dentist to review for fluoride application, review of bite, possibly place filling or seal over the exposed dentine.
best of luck