The teeth are made up of various mineralized tissues, and one of them is the toothpaste, which constitutes the outermost layer of the tooth. It is a tissue formed by a mineral called hydroxyapatite (crystalline calcium phosphate mineral) and proteins (in a very low proportion).
The enamel it is the hardest tissue in the human body. This amazing hardness is provided by hydroxyapatite, which is the hardest mineral in the human body, it is more mineralized than bones.
The tooth is made up of 3 main layers: the outer layer called enamel, the middle layer called dentin, and the inner layer called the pulp. Tooth enamel is a layer of 2 to 3 millimeters thick that covers all the teeth, but only in their visible portion (the crown of the tooth). The enamel is translucent and insensitive to pain as it lacks nerve endings. Dentin is the layer that is under the enamel and is responsible for the color of the tooth. And finally, more interior than dentin is the dental pulp, formed by a tissue that contains the vasculo-nervous package of the tooth, composed of nerves, a vein and an artery.
However, enamel has a fundamental problem and that is that can’t regenerate, that is, once enamel is lost, it is lost forever and is not recovered.
Over time, tooth enamel undergoes wear that causes it to lose its ability to protect the teeth, in a process that is called demineralization and that causes that with age the loss of teeth as a result of different infections is more likely.
Is demineralization It can be accelerated by the intake of certain foods and beverages, in general all those with a high content of added sugars or acids, such as soft drinks, candies, etc.
To protect tooth enamel, it is best to carry out routine and correct oral hygiene, brushing after each meal, using dental floss to avoid food remains between the teeth and supplementing with mouthwash.
On the other hand, it is very important that both the toothpaste used and the mouthwash are reinforced with fluorine, which is an element that helps strengthen tooth enamel making it have more durability and that reinforces the protection of the enamel itself.
In short, enamel is a very important dental layer since it protects our teeth against external attacks and therefore must be taken care of to the maximum with good oral hygiene and control visits to the dentist to detect possible conditions.
For the care of tooth enamel, it is convenient to comply with the following recommendations:
- Maintain a balanced diet. Limit snacks between meals. If you do not stop consuming sweet foods, it is preferable to do so when the mouth has a greater amount of protective saliva, that is, between meals. Eat a healthy and healthy diet.
- Chew sugar-free gum. The combination of saliva with sugar-free gum stimulates salivary flow, further neutralizing acids.
- Avoid smoking.
- Topical application of fluoride to prevent tooth decay and remineralize enamel for tooth protection.
- Brushing your teeth at least twice a day with a soft bristle brush. Cleaning between the teeth daily with dental floss or an interdental cleaner (for the space between the teeth). Visit the dentist frequently for professional oral cleanings.
