We are not all born with the potential for perfect teeth, but heredity is a popular scapegoat for bad teeth and an unhealthy mouth. Conversely good teeth and a healthy mouth can be acquired by almost anyone, provided that the battle against tooth decay and gum disease is started as early as possible, that the teeth are straightened or rearranged, if necessary, by a good orthodontist and that they are looked after with common sense and dedication. Teeth fall out or weaken for specific and preventable reasons. They do not fall out or weaken with age in fact it has been estimated that a healthy tooth will outlast its owner by some 200 years. Human beings develop two sets of teeth during their lives. The first set of baby or deciduous teeth start to form well before birth and erupts in the mouth during the first two years of life. The second set of 32 adult or permanent, teeth starts to develop at birth. These lie buried in the jaw bone beneath the baby teeth until they are fully formed at about the age of six, when they begin to push through the gum and the baby teeth fall out.
STRUCTURE- Each tooth comprises the crown, which is the part we can see, the neck and the root or roots. It is composed of the outer enamel, which is about 98.7 per cent mineral and the hardest substance in the body, the inner dentine which is softer and more sensitive and the pulp chamber right at the center, containing blood vessels and the nerve, which supplies sensation to the tooth. This chamber extends all the way down the root canal, which anchors the tooth to the bone of the jaw. While the front teeth have only single roots, the molars right at the back of the mouth may have as many as four. The tooth is cushioned against the bone by an elastic membrane.
LOOKING AFTER YOUR TEETH- Care of the teeth starts with regular and thorough cleaning of the mouth and equally important regular dental checkups. Fluoride too is an essential part of any early preventative campaign. Taken from birth, or even, as some dentists recommend from before birth, it will strengthen the teeth as they form in the mouth, making the enamel harder and much less susceptible to the acid attack that initiates decay. Fluoride is invaluable taken up to the age of about eight or nine, after which most adult teeth are fully formed in the mouth and can no longer be strengthened from the inside. The acid responsible for producing decay is a by-product of the sucrose in refined carbohydrates and certain bacteria in the plaque growing on the teeth. Painless in the early stages decay attacks the outer edges of the enamel before spreading into the soft, sensitive dentine beneath. As all sticky, sugary things are candidates for causing decay, they should be avoided as much as possible. You will feel much better for eliminating sugar from your diet too. If you must eat it, however always brush your teeth well afterwards.