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Enamel: The Fastest Substance In The Human Body

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Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. It forms a thin layer on the outside of your teeth to protect your chompers from everyday wear and tear. Without enamel, your teeth wouldn?t last very many years, nor would you be able to enjoy some of your favorite foods. What exactly is enamel, how do you protect it and does it ever come back once you lose it?

What Precisely Is Enamel?

Your teeth have four layers. Enamel protects the crown of your tooth, or the part that sticks out from your gums. Directly underneath the enamel is the dentin. Dentin gives your teeth their pearly white color. Underneath the dentin is the pulp, or the innermost part of the tooth where the blood vessels and nerves reside.

The enamel is a layer of minerals that is just a few millimeters thick. It is translucent, which means light can pass through it but you can?t see through it clearly. This substance allows you to chew your food, drink hot or cold …show more content…

If you bite something very hard or hit your head against something, the enamel on your tooth may chip or crack suddenly rather than wear away gradually. Grinding your teeth together, clenching teeth and crunching can damage the outer layer of your teeth quickly rather than gradually.

Side Effects of Enamel Erosion

All of these things can damage enamel and cause various difficulties. Hot and cold drinks may cause nerve pain in your mouth. You might have trouble chewing because the inner part of your tooth has more and more pressure on it. Your teeth could turn yellow because so much enamel wears away that you see the inner layer of your teeth. You might get cavities, which causes sensitivity, bleeding and even more tooth decay.

Sadly, enamel doesn?t grow back because it is made completely of minerals and not living tissue. Although you can?t grow new enamel, dentists and at-home tooth care products can help repair the damage or prevent more enamel loss in the future.

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