I am 27. i've been told that i brush my teeth too hard. i get short pains in my jaw and there is some worry that i grind my teeth. i just noticed a thin white line on 1 of my front teeth. it is only visible while looking closely in the mirror. what is thi

From : From what you have described, it is probably a hairline fracture in the enamel, secondary to your grinding. Speak to your dentist about having a night guard fabricated to minimize trauma to your teeth.

I : I assume that you are talking about your upper front teeth. If so, it is normal to have some transparency along the tooth edge. This may be light blue or grey in color in some cases. This is a normal situation and is caused by the fact that at the edge of these teeth you only have enamel, unlike the body of the teeth where the enamel is supported by underlying dentin which is yellow in color. The enamel is translucent and thus the lighter color. Of more concern is the fact that you may be too aggressive with your home care. Like they say, too much of a good thing is not always good. Aggressive brushing with an abrasive tooth paste (commonly found in "whitening" toothpastes), including baking soda, will cause excessive wear of the enamel and trauma to the gum tissue. This will result in the teeth looking more yellow and gum recession exposing the root surface. This is why ultrasonic tooth cleaning systems have come onto the market and are being recommended by dentists. Talk to your dentist to determine the proper brushing technique and tooth brush / tooth paste.