It can be easy to let the little things go unappreciated. Teeth are deeply important to nearly every aspect of people’s lives, but how often do they celebrate them?
Knowing a little bit more about the nature of teeth could serve as a way to get people interested in dentistry, and may therefore incentivize them to take better care of their oral health. Here are a few facts about your teeth that might interest you in the subject.
A Second Fingerprint
You may have heard of dental records being used on crime shows to identify victims; that’s because everyone’s teeth and bites are a little bit different. Interestingly, this is also the case for your tongue!
A Solid Shell
You might not think it, but your enamel is harder than any other part of your body, including your bones! Teeth are made of similar material to the rest of the skeletal system, but they contain certain unique proteins and crystallites that make them stronger.
A Colossal Colony
Modern medicine is deeply interested in the relationship between humans and the bacteria that our bodies are host to, both good and bad. It’s believed that these bacteria can affect everything from obesity rates to depression.
Many of these bacteria live in the gut, but your mouth is also home to many of them. In fact, it’s estimated that the mouth is home to 300 different kinds of bacteria!
A Symphony of Saliva
Digestion begins in the mouth, where saliva begins breaking down food as you chew. The enzymes in saliva are important, so your body makes quite a lot of them. On average, people produce around a quart of saliva every month, which adds up to 10,000 gallons over the course of the average lifetime! Now that’s a lot of spit.
A Tale of Two Layers
The top layer of your tooth that makes them white and durable is the enamel, but that’s only the surface.; A system of channels and soft tissue called dentin is lurking right underneath, and it’s responsible for housing nerve endings and sending nutrients to the rest of the body. If your teeth are especially sensitive to hot and cold, it’s likely because your enamel has been worn down by tooth decay, exposing the dentin underneath.
As you can see, teeth are beautifully complex. Hopefully, learning more about them has made you interested in your oral health. By improving how your teeth look and feel, you can make a marked difference in your quality of life.
About the Author
In the 30 years that Dr. Karl Arakelian has been practicing dentistry, one thing has remained the same: his commitment to offering his patients great oral healthcare. His top priority is giving his patients beautiful smiles in a calm, comforting environment. Dr. Arakelian received his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and he has completed over one thousand hours of continuing education since.
If you have any questions about your teeth, he can be reached at his website or by phone at (978) 373-0901.
