Most of us wander around thinking that teeth are made of bone, the same ingredients that shape all of the bones in our body. It’s easy to understand why. Both bones and teeth are white, and they are difficult to break.

Did you know that teeth and bones are not made of the same substance? They aren’t. In fact, your teeth are amazing–even though they are really not bone. Keep reading for more information about your amazing teeth.

What Are Teeth Made Of?

Teeth are made of a combination of things. Teeth are made mainly of calcium and phosphorous. Bones are also made of calcium, but they are comprised of collagen. Teeth are actually stronger than bone. In fact, teeth are the strongest part of your body.

Teeth are made of dentine. The hard tissue dentine is then covered by enamel, which is another hard substance. The very center of the tooth is made of pulp. That tooth pulp houses the blood vessels and nerves that keep the tooth alive and healthy.

Teeth have several advantages over bone. Perhaps the biggest advantage is that teeth keep themselves white–which makes them different than bones. Bones can yellow with age. Luckily for you, teeth don’t. Unless you stain them with food, caffeine or tobacco, they will remain white for life. Teeth can also exert more pounds per square inch in terms of biting surface–talk about strong!

Even though your teeth are strong, they are not indestructible. Unlike bone, your teeth cannot repair themselves when they break. Instead, we have to do that for them. We have to keep teeth healthy and strong because they are the only teeth we get once the baby teeth are gone.

Do you have questions on how your teeth are made? Why not give us a call, and let us give you more information on how your teeth are made, and how you can protect them?

Many people are already aware that dark colored drinks like coffee, tea, and soda can stain your teeth. This is because our teeth are porous, and over time, dark colors will settle into them. Whether it’s the artificial colors in soda or the tannins in tea and coffee, they will all stain your teeth. Some people may choose to drink clear or lightly colored liquids to prevent their teeth from staining. However, some of these liquids still have the possibility of staining your teeth.

Three Drinks to Avoid

Many people will choose a clear soda over a dark colored one because they believe it won’t stain their teeth. Unfortunately, clear sodas still have the potential to stain your teeth. Clear soda, like normal soda, is still carbonated. Carbonation in soda will erode the enamel of your teeth over time. Our teeth’s enamel protects the softer dentin of the tooth. While enamel is porous, dentin is more so. Dentin is easily stainable by more substances than enamel, and it’s very hard to whiten.

Another drink that can cause your teeth to change from a beautiful white to a dull yellow is juice. Many people think that drinks like apple or orange juice are good for them, but they can damage your teeth. Like soda, juices are often highly acidic and wear away at the enamel. If you’ve got a craving for fruit, you’re better off choosing the actual fruit rather than juice.

The final drink that stains teeth that may surprise you is white wine. While white wine isn’t as harmful to your teeth as red wine, it still has many of the tannins in red wine that cause staining. While it’s not as dangerous to drink white wine, we recommend drinking it in moderation to avoid staining. If you’re interested in teeth whitening, please give us a call. We can help you bring back your teeth’s natural glow.

Sugar is not only bad for your general health, but your oral health as well. It causes so much harm to your teeth. The bacteria in your mouth feed off the sugar you consume, releasing acids that weaken your enamel and harm your teeth. It can lead to tooth decay among other dental problems. As a result, more and more people are turning to artificial sweeteners as substitutes for sugar. But do the substitutes cause less harm to our teeth as compared to sugar?

Effects Of Artificial Sweeteners On The Teeth

People who want to cut back on sugar are moving to artificial sweeteners. Sugar-free gums and diet sodas among other artificially sweetened foods are flooding the market. They are great for your general health, as they reduce the number of calories you would have consumed from the sugars. However, they may still have an impact on your oral health. Here’s how.

Using artificial sweeteners as a substitute for sugar denies the bacteria the sugar they feed off of. As a result, the production of harmful acids in your mouth is greatly reduced. However, artificial sweeteners usually use acids like citric acids as preservatives. The acids break up the minerals in your mouth, leaving your teeth exposed to erosion and decay. While the acids themselves may not cause any damage to your teeth, prolonged use of artificial sweeteners may upset the pH balance of your mouth and lead to oral problems.

Artificial sweeteners may also overstimulate your sugar receptors and build up your tolerance for sugars. As a result, you may find fruits, vegetables, and other less intensely sweet food unenjoyable and crave more sweet foods. This can put your oral health at risk.

It really doesn’t matter whether you decide to switch from sugar to artificial sweeteners as long as you take care of your oral health. Brush and floss your teeth regularly, and schedule regular checkups at our clinics at least twice a year. Call us today to schedule an appointment.

The toothbrush is an invention that has come a long way. From the earliest days where it was just small twigs made of special trees to get rid of the bits of food that were stuck in between teeth. Over time, the concept of bristles came alive. People could use boar’s hair to make their bristles because they were much softer and produced better results.

In the 1930’s, however, one DuPont de Nemours came up with the concept of the toothbrush and it was made with nylon bristles which are available till now. Today, the conversation has evolved into which type of bristle is better; the hard or soft one.

Hard Vs. Soft Brushes

Dentists will often recommend the type of bristle to use depending on the needs you have for your mouth. However, it’s very rare that you find a dentist recommending to a patient a toothbrush with hard bristles. This is because using a toothbrush with the wrong type of bristles can bring about a negative impact to your teeth and gums in general. While some people claim that they prefer the firm bristles over the softer ones because of plaque removal, it’s not worth it.

Plaque holds on to the tooth at its base. Often where the tooth comes into contact with the gums. Even if you use a toothbrush with hard bristles, it’s highly unlikely that it will remove a lot of the substance.

Soft bristles are recommended because they don’t place a lot of pressure on the teeth and gums, and they are able to get into the small spaces between the teeth to remove any leftover foods. Additionally, they do not erode the enamel of the tooth and as such you won’t be likely to suffer from conditions such as tooth sensitivity and the like. However, if you feel that you might need a toothbrush with harder bristles, it’s important that you come in and have a chat with us. We will provide you with the insight you need to know which one suit you best.