Damages a Frenchman's teeth (5)

I believe the answer is:

dents

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'damages' is the definition.
(dent is a kind of damage)

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

(Other definitions for dents that I've seen before include "Tends towards small depression" , "Tends to create small depressions" , "Tends towards small depressions" , "reductions in size" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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