It’s painful to get cavities. It’s even more painful to go through treatments. The mere mention of a root canal is enough to send some fainting.
So you probably wonder in one way or another, why can’t teeth just naturally heal themselves? The skin repairs itself. The bones do the same. The liver regenerates, even. Why in the world are teeth an exemption?
The Scientific Reason
The key to understanding why teeth can’t heal on their own is in its anatomy. Your pearly whites are protected by an element called enamel. During tooth development, cells known as ameloblasts release that protective substance, which creates the surface of the crown, the top white layer that you see.
But these cells eventually die when teeth finally emerge. That protective layer that’s left consists of 90 percent minerals, inorganic materials, which means there aren’t many proteins and cells present there.
From your 3rd-grade science lesson, you may well remember that cells are the ones responsible for the healing process in the body, so without much of it in the enamel, no natural repairs could happen. There are, however, at the inner structures of the tooth.
Odontoblasts are cells that form the dentin and the pulp. They offer protection against bacterial assault like decays, but only at the base of the tooth roots, not the crowns. Thus, this makes a huge part of the tooth vulnerable to caries, all the same.
The Importance of Proper Hygiene
There’s really no way around preventing tooth decays but to observe regular, proper oral care habits. When it comes to strengthening teeth, your priority is to avoid habits that wear away the enamel, its protective layer. One of those bad routines is brushing teeth — aggressively. Go easy on cleaning teeth.
Don’t be in a rush. Observe proper placement, with the tip of the bristles at a 45-degree angle, so you can avoid rubbing too hard on the surfaces. Another habit you should quit is brushing immediately after eating food and drinks that have high acidic content.
When you consume such, the enamel is at a weakened state. Brushing your pearly whites will only make them more vulnerable. Dentists highly recommend waiting for at least half an hour before cleaning. If you would need a fresher mouth though after a meal, just rinse it or chew some sugarless gum.
The latter can help increase the production of saliva, thus reducing the acids that harm teeth and cause tooth decay. It’s equally important to visit your dentist regularly. More crucial if you have oral problems that make it hard to clean teeth, like for instance, malocclusion.
Crooked teeth aren’t just a cosmetic problem. According to an orthodontist in Taylorsville, it can lead to greater risk for bad breath, cavities, gum diseases, and cracks and chips. So don’t delay treatment for misaligned teeth.
Ask your dentist for braces options. If you’re already on treatment, don’t neglect the clinic visits every month. Your dentist will perform routine cleaning to ensure that there aren’t food residue trapped between wires and brackets.
The bottom line is, teeth don’t heal on their own, simply because the enamel is made up of inorganic elements, with no repairing capabilities. All the same, there’s a way to protect yourself from cavities and other dental problems. It’s simple: exercise proper hygiene.
