What are teeth made of?
What are teeth made of? Maybe you would have thought that teeth are some sort of bone, but the truth is way more interesting. Teeth are way stronger than any other human bones, which might be the reason why archeologist find more teeth than any other part of the body in ancient excavations. Healthy teeth can be just that durable!
Each part of the tooth is made of different substances. For example, the outer layer is called Enamel, the hardest of all layers and is composed mostly of a white and rock-hard mineral called calcium phosphate. The enamel is supposed to withstand the pressure of chewing for your entire life, but this doesn’t mean it is impervious. The enamel can be cracked by blunt trauma or can be breakdown by the bacteria’s acid from eating food debris on the tooth surface (caries and cavities!). The enamel cannot regenerate itself like bones, so it requires the intervention of a dentist.
The second layer of the tooth is the dentin. The dentin is made out of a combination of living cells that secrete a hard mineral substance. The dentin is not as hard as the enamel and even the color can go from cream to light yellow. Is very important that you get in immediate contact with your dentist if you start to notice a marked difference in color on your teeth, specially on molars and premolars (white edges with a yellow softer center). There are ways for the dentine to partially regenerate itself, but you need to address bacterial infections and other protection first with the help of a dentist.
The inner most layer of the tooth is called the pulp, which consist of nerves and blood vessels that connect to the jaw bone. This is the most delicate of all part of the tooth. If anything starts reaching the pulp, the pain will let you know.
Here at our dental clinic in Cancun, we usually specialize on advanced implant and denture treatments, but we can also handle general dentistry procedures without a problem. Give us a call for more information about affordable fillings, cleanings and whitening. You could make your appointment during your vacation in Cancun or Riviera Maya. Call toll free from USA & Canada 1-800-565-1424.
Related links:
https://www.cancuncosmeticdentistry.com/root-canal-dentist-mexico/
https://www.cancuncosmeticdentistry.com/resin-fillings-dentist-mexico/