When it’s time to eat, you likely don’t think twice about biting and chewing into your favorite foods. You may be focused on the food ahead, but your teeth are the reason you can chow down comfortably! It’s important you know more about them to see why you need to take great care of them, so here are 10 bite-sized facts that can help you better understand your oral health.
1.) No Two Smiles Are the Same
Every person has a grin that’s unique to them. No one has a smile that looks exactly like yours, so feel confident knowing yours is one-of-a-kind. In fact, dental records can even be used to identify someone.
2.) Dental Structures Are Like Icebergs
Your teeth extend further than just what’s seen. There’s about a third of the structure covered by your gums and in your jawbone. These two help keep them in place, so be sure to treat the soft tissues in your mouth right as well.
3.) On Average, People Have 32 Total Teeth
People typically have eight incisors, four canines, eight premolars, and twelve molars. However, some may be born with more or even fewer teeth than normal.
4.) The Hardest Thing Your Body Makes is Your Enamel
The outer layer of your teeth is your enamel, and it’s made from calcium and phosphate. It’s arranged with proteins and crystallites that help make it the strongest substance your body makes.
5.) However, Enamel Can Still Get Damaged
That being said, your enamel isn’t invincible, so it can crack or chip because of hard food or injury. It can also erode because of bacteria in your mouth.
6.) Enamel Isn’t a Living Tissue
If enamel is damaged, it cannot repair itself like bone. It doesn’t have cells or nerves, so there isn’t anything to deliver nutrients to it. However, you can remineralize it with fluoride toothpaste, but this won’t fill in chips and the like.
7.) Your Enamel Can’t Grow, But Your Dentin Can
Although your enamel can’t grow, the part under it can. Your dentin is the second layer of a tooth, and it has tiny channels that transmit signals to the nerve and deliver nutrients. It can change over time because of this.
8.) Your Oral Microbiome is Diverse
Your mouth has about 200 to 300 species of bacteria living in it. Not all of them are bad, as plenty do good. There’s a fine balance between them, but the main one that causes trouble is Streptococcus mutans. It produces an enamel-dissolving acid when it feeds on sugar.
9.) A Yellow Tint Doesn’t Always Mean Stains
While dark-colored foods and drinks can often lead to stains, they aren’t the only reason for discoloration. When the outer layer of your teeth is thin and weakened, you may be able to notice the yellow dentin underneath. This can be a sign of a cavity in some cases.
10.) You Produce About 10,000 Gallons of Saliva in a Lifetime
You can produce about a quart of saliva every day on average. This turns into thousands of gallons in a lifetime. While this thought may seem a bit gross, it can help wash away harmful bacteria and strengthen your enamel throughout the years.
About the Practice
At Marvel Dental & Orthodontics, you benefit from the skilled leadership of Dr. Jay Oza and Dr. Hizamar Escobedo. We are here to help the Burleson community get stronger smiles with preventive care. By treating oral health issues while they are minor and giving you advice about your dental hygiene, you can treat your teeth right and keep them in great shape for longer. If it’s time for your next checkup and cleaning, schedule an appointment or call our office at (817) 933-3883.