Your mouth is the gateway to your digestive system. Keeping your mouth health ensures that your digestive system remains in a fit condition and supports your on the go lifestyle. The key to a health mouth is understanding the basics of dental health. The first step to understanding the basics about teeth is understanding the structure and biological make-up of the tooth.
Our teeth are made of five essential parts:
- The Enamel
The enamel is uppermost and the hardest layer forming the covering of all the parts below it.
- The Dentine
The layer below the enamel is the dentine. It forms the bulk part of the tooth
- The Root
The root is the non- visible part fitted inside the gums. It secures the tooth’s position inside the jaw.
- Pulp
This part of the tooth contains the nerve making it one of the most sensitive.
- Tooth Bud
The tooth bud is located at the innermost area.
Our teeth, as we see in an adult, are formed in several successive stages. The life cycle of a tooth passes through 6 stages:
- The Bud Stage
Tooth formation starts six months after conception. There are a total of 20 buds for each tooth.
- The Cap Stage
Supporting structures of the tooth begin to develop.
- The Bell Stage
This is the maturation stage of tooth formation where a bell shaped dental is formed.
- The Crown Stage
A baby tooth is a temporary structure which is much smaller than our permanent teeth and is formed in infants. These teeth ultimately wither away leading to the next stage.
- Permanent Teeth
Permanent teeth are formed after the age of eight. Temporary tooth withers away to be replaced by adult tooth.
- The Older Tooth
As time passes, the dentine of the tooth contracts cavities and gets exposed due to withering away of the enamel due to years of regular chewing.
Since enamel is the most expose part, ensuring tooth health starts by proper care of the enamel. Protecting the enamel by regular brushing and floss will help teeth be healthy and stronger.
