Last checked: November 2026. Written by Clockwork, which makes a toothpaste that helps remineralise enamel. This page isn't medical advice.
Enamel can't grow back, so the goal is to wear it away more slowly. Acid from food, drink and reflux softens it; brushing hard, or straight after something acidic, rubs the softened surface away; grinding wears it from the edges. What helps: fewer acid hits a day, water after them, waiting about an hour before brushing, a soft brush, a toothpaste that helps remineralise enamel, and a dentist for reflux or grinding.
Enamel is the hardest tissue in the body: about 96% mineral by weight, almost all of it hydroxyapatite. It has no living cells, so the body can't rebuild it once it is lost. It can, though, lose and regain minerals at the surface every day. Acid pulls minerals out; saliva, and a remineralising toothpaste, help put them back. Problems start when the losses outrun the repairs.
| Type of wear | What causes it | What you might notice |
|---|---|---|
| Erosion | Acid from drinks, fruit, vinegar, reflux or vomiting dissolves the surface | Smooth, shiny or cupped surfaces; teeth that look more yellow as dentine shows |
| Abrasion | Hard brushing, a hard brush or a very abrasive paste | Notches near the gumline |
| Attrition | Grinding or clenching, often at night | Flat, short or chipped edges |
| Decay | Plaque bacteria turn sugar into acid on the tooth | Chalky white spots, then brown spots or holes |
These usually happen together. Acid softens enamel, and brushing or grinding then removes the softened layer far faster than it would wear healthy enamel.
Enamel starts to dissolve at around pH 5.5. Many everyday drinks are well below that:
| Drink | Typical pH |
|---|---|
| Lemon juice, lemon water | about 2 to 3 |
| Cola and most soft drinks | about 2.5 to 3 |
| Orange juice | about 3.5 |
| Sports and energy drinks | about 3 |
| Black coffee | about 5 |
| Sparkling water, plain | about 4 to 5, much less erosive than juice or soda |
| Milk, plain water | about 7 |
How often matters more than how much. Sipping a juice over an hour is harder on enamel than drinking it with a meal.
See a dentist if your teeth have become more sensitive to cold or sweet, look more yellow or see-through at the edges, feel rough, or are chipping. Also see one, and a doctor, if you have heartburn or reflux, or wake with a sore jaw, because the cause needs treating, not just the teeth. Worn enamel can be protected and repaired by a dentist; it cannot be regrown by a toothpaste.
No. Enamel has no living cells. Its surface can regain minerals, which is what "remineralise" means, but lost thickness doesn't return. That is why slowing wear matters.
Not if breakfast wasn't acidic. After fruit, juice, lemon water or coffee, wait about an hour, or brush before you eat.
Plain sparkling water is mildly acidic and far less erosive than juice or soda. Flavoured versions with citric acid are more erosive. Plain still water is best.
One that helps remineralise enamel and isn't too abrasive. Fluoride toothpaste has the most evidence. Hydroxyapatite is the main fluoride-free alternative. When fluoride-free is right, and when it isn't.