To have strong teeth, you must take care of them. Your teeth are made up of four different types of tissue: pulp, dentin, cementum, and enamel. Everyday your teeth demineralize and remineralize depending on what foods you are eating and how much plaque and bacteria are in your mouth. You always want to keep your tooth enamel healthy and strong so it can be a proper barrier from plaque. You also want to keep your teeth clean continually to avoid tooth decay and gum disease that plaque causes. We can help you know what foods and drinks are healthy for your teeth, what habits you should have for stronger enamel, and what you can do to keep a healthy smile for life!

The Makeup of Your Teeth

There are many people that believe that the teeth are bones. Sure, they are hard and white, but they are not bones. However, they are made up of some of the same materials that bones are, which is why you have strong teeth instead of soft teeth. Your bones are mostly made up of collagen, which is a protein. They are also made up of calcium phosphate. The collagen gives your bones their framework and calcium phosphate makes your teeth strong. Your strong teeth are that way because of what your enamel is made of of: calcium phosphate.

The enamel of your teeth is the hard, outer layer that people see. Studies have found that enamel is actually harder than your bones are. However, bone tissues are living and ever regenerating, whereas, your tooth enamel is not living tissue. If you break your tooth, it will not grow back the part that was broken, whereas a bone will grow back.

Your Teeth Inside and Out

Your teeth are made up of four different types of tissue: pulp, dentin, cementum, and enamel. Like we mentioned, your enamel is the hard, outer layer of your teeth. The pulp is the soft center of the tooth that houses blood vessels and nerves. You will feel tooth pain because of those central nerves, which can signal there is tooth decay present. Dentin is a hard, yellow substance that surrounds the soft, pulpy tooth center. Often with age, your teeth appear more yellow because the dentin starts to show through your thinning tooth enamel. That tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the body and covers all the parts of your tooth, encasing it in a hard, white shell. That tooth enamel is what you want to protect from the effects of plaque.

Prepare for Plaque

Many people are fighting a battle each day and may not even know it. That battle is between your tooth enamel and plaque. What is plaque? You may have noticed that you develop a sticky, clear film on your teeth after you eat and drink. That is plaque, or an acidic substance that eats away at and erodes your tooth enamel over time. Plaque is made of a combination of bacteria in your mouth mixed with sugars in the foods you eat. There are many good types of bacteria in your mouth that aid you in digestion by breaking down food into small enough pieces that your body can absorb it. However, bad bacteria will work to destroy your oral health…but only if you let it.

Plaque erodes your tooth enamel until it creates fissures in your teeth. Once this happens, it can seep inside your tooth’s soft center, where decay will spread rapidly. This decay is also known as “dental caries”, or “cavities”. Cavities are the most prevalent chronic disease in children and adults all over the world, and most people don’t even realize it. You want to prepare each day to get rid of plaque before it can cause your teeth damage. You do this through proper oral health habits.

Strong Teeth for Life

It’s quite simple to keep strong teeth and keep them healthy. All you have to do is brush and floss them every single day and see your dentist! Sometimes the simplest solutions can bring you the greatest rewards, and it’s that way with your teeth. The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth at least twice a day. Patients who brush their teeth after every meal can get rid of even more plaque that sits on the teeth during the day. The ADA also recommends flossing the teeth at least once a day, preferably before going to bed at night. This will remove food that is hard-stuck in cracks and areas you can’t see.

Brushing and flossing should be some of the most important habits you have during your day. You only get one set of permanent teeth, and you can keep them by establishing these habits, and then following through with them daily. We also recommend seeing your dentist at least twice a year (if not more) for comprehensive examinations and cleanings. Only your dentist can spot early signs of tooth decay, gum disease, oral cancer, and other issues.

Keeping Your Teeth Healthy

Keeping the teeth healthy dose not have to be hard. Brush your teeth, floss them, and see your dentist. If you struggle to do these simple habits, write yourself reminders every day or even stick a note on the bathroom mirror. You can keep your teeth healthy throughout life and can always have strong teeth if you take care of them. If you need to schedule your comprehensive exam and cleaning, you can call our Mountain Aire Dentistry office today at (303) 731-7755!