Teeth

Teeth are small whitish structures that are found in the jaws. They are mainly used to tear, scrape, milk and chew food in the digestion process. They can also be used for self defense and lately as a way to look beautiful. Teeth are not made of bone and are covered by gums.

Humans develop two sets of teeth. The first set also called the primary teeth or milk teeth, starts to appear at about six months of age. In some babies, they can be born with one or more visible teeth known as neonatal teeth. The second set of teeth is called adult or permanent teeth.

Components of Teeth

Teeth are divided into four main components:

The Enamel

The enamel is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance of the body. Ninety six percent of the enamel is consists of mineral, with water and organic material composing the rest.

The enamel can vary in color from light yellow to grayish white. It can also be slightly blue at the edges of the teeth. The enamel will vary in thickness over the surface and will be thickest at the cusp and thinnest at the border.

Dentin

Dentin is a substance between the enamel or cementum and the pulp chamber. It is secreted by the odontoblasts of the dental pulp and is a porous, yellow hued material made up of 70% inorganic materials, 20% organic materials and 10% water in weight.

Dentin acts as a protective layer and supports the crown of the tooth. It can decay more rapidly than the enamel and is subject to cavities if not properly treated.

Cementum

Cementum is a yellowish material consisting of 45% inorganic material, 33% organic material and 22% water. Its primary function is to serve as a medium by which periodontal ligaments attach to the tooth for stability.

Pulp

Dental pulp is the central part of the tooth that is filled with soft connective tissue. The tissue consists of blood vessels and nerves that enter the tooth from a hole at the apex of the tooth.

Conditions that can affect Teeth

Problems with teeth can be very painful and most of them are preventable with good oral hygiene. A visit to the dentist at least twice a year can control most of the possible teeth conditions. These can include:

• Plaque
• Tartar
• Tooth decay,
• Gum disease,
• Erosion,
• Abscess, and
• Dry mouth

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