Most people believe that teeth are made up of the same materials in that of bones, but your teeth are actually much stronger than your bones. While the development of human teeth begins in the womb, and permanent teeth generally erupt through the gums at the age of 12, these teeth must remain strong enough to last an entire lifetime of chewing food. Let’s explain the tissue layers found in teeth and how each layer plays a vital role in protecting your pearly whites.

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The Anatomy of a Tooth

Human teeth are made of four types of tissue layers which hold important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. These vital nutrients play an important role in preserving healthy teeth that don’t become sensitive to pain. These four types of tissue layers, comprised of both hard and soft tissues, include:

• Enamel – Enamel is the outer white layer of your tooth and is mainly made of calcium phosphate. Being hard tissue, enamel is actually the strongest substance in your entire body. This tough layer allows your teeth to withstand the pressure of chewing and protects them from harmful bacteria. While it’s incredibly tough, enamel doesn’t regenerate on it’s own so you’ll have to see your dental provider if you crack this layer.
• Dentin – Beneath the enamel, dentin is another hard tissue layer in the anatomy of your teeth.   While not as hard as enamel, dentin is as tough as bone and can give teeth a yellow appearance. Dentin contains microscopic tubules that, if exposed, allows hot or cold food to simulate the sensitive nerves inside.
• Pulp – The innermost part of a tooth that contains blood vessels, soft connective tissue, and nerves. If the pulp becomes damaged, this will most likely be painful and can cut off vital nutrients that sustains the life of your tooth. The pulp has two parts, being the pulp chamber and the root canal. Blood vessels enter up from the root canal and extend into the pulp chamber.
• Cementum – This is the layer containing ligaments that hold the tooth in place to your jaw bone. Being the same hardness as bone, cementum is a hard yellow substance closely resembling that of dentin.

Over the span of life, humans have 20 baby teeth and 32 permanent teeth. Classified as incisors, canines, premolars, and molars, each tooth type serves a uniquely important purpose when eating food. Knowing what composes the material in your teeth can help you best understand how to maintain oral health.

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What’s the Difference Between Teeth and Bones?

More than 99% of your body’s calcium is found in your bones and teeth, while less than 1% is found in your blood stream. While there’s some similarities in the composition of teeth and bones, they’re actually quite different. The strong enamel found in teeth gives them an extremely sturdy outer shell that’s superior to what’s found in bones. However, bones are strong and flexible due to being made up of protein collagen, mineral calcium phosphate, and marrow. Because of this particular composition, bones are living tissue that can regenerate throughout your life. Teeth are more fragile in this regard, as they cannot repair or heal themselves. This is an excellent reason as to why practicing healthy dental hygiene is so important.

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Oral Health Benefits of GumChucks

Flossing and brushing twice a day is essential to maintaining the strength of your teeth. Flossing is the only way to remove plaque from between your teeth, flossing regularly also helps keep tartar out of hard-to-reach places. GumChucks’ design ensures a flossing experience that’s faster, easier, and more effective than competing flossers or traditional floss. Our two handles with disposable floss allows you to comfortably reach all your teeth, even those in the back while wrapping the floss around each tooth. This creates the vital “C-Shape” necessary to get below the gum line and effectively clean each tooth.

GUMCHUCKS MAKES FLOSSING FUN, FAST, AND EASY!

Click here to get started with GumChucks today!