What is going on with the texture of my teeth?
Hi! I'm wondering if anyone knows what's going on with the texture of my teeth and the tops. I have noticed my gums have receded a little bit along the tops of my teeth and plaque???? is accumulating there. I have never seen plaque there until I noticed the possible recession had happened. Maybe it is gathering in a little pocket if it is gum recession.
I just brushed my teeth for 1 minute (I do 2 min at night, this was just after lunch) and the plaque stuff is still there, granted, I was very afraid to brush the tops excessively because I don't want my gums to recede anymore. I am 19 years old and have had bad luck with my teeth in the past. I have had at least 10 cavities on my adult teeth and I seem to have very weak enamel.
Context:
I started using prescription toothpaste with 1.1% fluoride and 5% potassium a few years ago. When I first got it I was in high school and did not take it very seriously; I only used it once a day and used my regular toothpaste in the morning. I continued to get cavities until this past year.
I believe I now take excellent care of my teeth and have for at least a year. I floss everyday, and I make sure to take my time with it and do it the correct way because I am afraid to get periodontal disease. I brush for two minutes with a very soft (kids) toothbrush because my enamel is so weak and I don't want to cause any more damage. I brush all sides of my teeth. I don't drink soda, I do eat sugary things but not like an insane amount. However I used to drink Starbucks drinks a lot in high school and I worked at Starbucks for six months (a year ago) and would have a drink everyday. I had Invisalign at that time and brushed a lot! Brushed my Invisalign too! I also wait 30 min after I eat anything to brush.
Two other things to note!! The two front teeth are yellower only where the texture is. I assume this is either staining (although I have been avoiding tea and coffee, and when I drink them maybe once a month I swish with water frequently) or the dentin becoming exposed. I have one bad weird compulsion I have done all my life: I have a tendency to scrape my teeth very gently with a fingernail randomly during the day. I have tried very hard to stop doing this. I think it started because my gums used to randomly get itchy. I have done this for at least a few years, I honestly don't know when it started. Sorry this is so long, thanks for reading!