Brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice every day is commendable, but knowing how your teeth defend themselves can help you go the extra mile to protect them. For instance, you’re probably familiar with tooth enamel and its important role in protecting your teeth from the dangers of dental diseases and damage. However, understanding the processes that break down enamel can allow you to help it regain its strength before it’s irreversibly damaged. Shrewsbury dentists, Dr. Todd Pizzi and Dr. Luciana Messina, introduce you to tooth enamel by listing a few facts you should know about your teeth’s natural protection.
Did You Know?
- Healthy tooth enamel is the strongest substance that your body produces. In fact, enamel is stronger than any other substance on earth besides diamond. This is good news, considering the human bite can exert up to 200 pounds of pressure on its back teeth.
- The key to tooth enamel’s impressive strength lies in its mineral composition. Similar to bone, tooth enamel is comprised mostly of calcium and phosphate. The difference is the proteins that form enamel stretch these mineral strands thousands of times longer than bone, making enamel vastly more resilient.
- Unfortunately, tooth enamel’s strength is also its potential downfall. Enamel needs a steady supply of minerals to maintain its strength, and when acid is introduced (usually by sugar-hungry bacteria that metabolize it), it attacks your enamel and depletes your teeth of the minerals it needs. Over time, enamel can grow weaker and weaker until it is unable to protect your teeth from infectious bacteria.
- Like calcium and phosphate, the mineral fluoride can also bind to your enamel’s surface and fortify it against damaging acid attacks. Fluoride can be found in most toothpaste brands, and is added in minimal amounts to most municipal water supplies within the United States.
ABOUT YOUR SHREWSBURY DENTISTS:
At Modern Dentistry, Todd A. Pizzi, DDS, and Luciana Messina, DDS, are dedicated to providing high-quality cosmetic, restorative, and preventive dentistry services to patients and families in Shrewsbury, Worcester, North and South Grafton, Westborough, Southborough, Northborough, Boylston, Hopkinton, Millbury, and all surrounding communities. To schedule your next appointment, contact our office by calling (508) 842-6356 today.
