Toothspot - All About Teeth

Dental Terms to Impress Your Dentist Blood vessels - carry nutrients to the tooth. Bone - alveolar bone which forms the tooth socket and provides the tooth with support. Cemento-enamel junction - the line where the enamel and cementum meet. Cementum - thin layer of bone-like tissue covering the root of the tooth. Dentin - the hard yellow tissue underlying the enamel and cementum, making up the bulk of the tooth. Enamel - the hard, white outer layer of the tooth. Gingiva - the gums. Nerves - relay signals such as pain to and from your brain. Periodontal Ligament - the connective tissue which surrounds the tooth and connects it to bone. Pulp - located in the center of the tooth, it contains the blood vessels and nerves. Root canal - canal in the root of the tooth where the nerves and blood vessels pass. Tooth Structure The portion of the tooth visible in the mouth is called the crown. The crown is covered with enamel which is a  hard, white, shi

The Jaws and Dental Arches The teeth are arranged in upper and lower arches. Those of the upper are called maxillary; those of the lower arch are called mandibular. The mandible is a horseshoe shaped bone which articulates with the skull by way of the temporomandibular joint, or the TMJ. Dentition Dentition is a term that describes all of the upper and lower teeth collectively. Clinically, there are three types of dentitions: The primary dentition consists of 20 teeth in all: ten upper and ten lower. Primary teeth are also called 'baby teeth, deciduous, or 'milk' teeth. Primary teeth begin to appear at about six months and are entirely replaced by permanent teeth by 12 to 13 years of age. The mixed dentition is the stage from ages 6 to 12  and is composed of both primary and permanent teeth. The permanent dentition is composed of 32 teeth in all, 16 upper and 16 lower. Types of dentition Homodont - Teeth that differ from each other only in size.

Plaque   Plaque is a sticky, colorless film of bacteria, salivary proteins, and food debris that forms on teeth every day. It is the main cause of cavities and gum disease. While it's still in a soft state, you can clean it off with a toothbrush and floss. However, once the plaque has calcified into calculus (commonly known as tartar), only your dentist or dental hygienist will be able to remove it. Plaque forms rapidly after cleaning regardless of your diet, however increased sugar has been shown to speed up the process. Plaque is actually composed of several species of bacteria. Different types of bacteria are associated with different dental conditions (decay, gingivitis, periodontitis, etc.) The types of bacteria most commonly found in plaque are Streptococcus mutans and  Streptococcus sanguis. It's been shown that there are over 160 different types of bacteria in gingivitis (Actinomyces, Fusobacterium, Streptococcus, etc.) Similar bacteria have been identified in peri

Anatomical Background of Cavities Your teeth break the food you eat into pieces that can be readily swallowed and digested. Teeth are alive. The pulp at the heart of each tooth contains blood vessels and nerves that sense heat, cold, pressure, and pain. A hard substance called dentin surrounds the pulp. On the crown (the part of the tooth above the gum), the dentin is covered by a layer of enamel. The root of the tooth lies below the gum and and is covered by a protective layer of a bone-like material called cementum. In health, the gums fit tightly around the teeth; the roots of the teeth fit into sockets in the jaw bone. A shock-absorbing material, periodontal ligament, lines the socket of each tooth and protecting the skull and jawbone from being jarred. Enamel is the hardest material in you body; however, acids produced through bacterial action can erode enamel and lead to decay, If left unchecked, decay will progress through the dentin and into the pulp resulting in pulpa

How To Brush   The following brushing technique is commonly recommended by dentists. Check with your dentist to make sure you're using the proper technique, since tooth position and gum condition vary. 1) Start off by getting a soft-bristled brush (synthetic bristles are preferable to natural because they harbor less bacteria).  Place the bristles at a 45 degree angle to the teeth (with the tips of the angled toward your gums). 2) Using light pressure, gently jiggle the bristles back and forth at the junction of the gums and teeth. The idea is to remove any plaque and bacteria hiding in the sulcus between your teeth and gums. Be sure to brush the outside, the tongue side and all the chewing surfaces of your teeth. 3) For the front teeth, brush the inside surfaces of the upper and lower jaws by tilting the brush vertically and using up and down strokes with the front part of the brush. Your toothbrush will only clean one or two teeth at a time. Make sure you're changing

How to Floss One of the major causes of tooth loss today is due to gum disease or periodontitis. Plaque and bacteria build up on and between the teeth; their presence serves as a constant irritation for the gums. Flossing helps to remove plaque and debris from between your teeth, areas inaccessible to a toothbrush. How To Floss: Wrap about 18 inches of floss around the middle fingers of your hands.      Using your thumbs and forefingers gently pass the floss between your teeth. Never "snap" the floss; it can cut the gums. If done improperly, it can injure your gums.  When the floss reaches the gums, curve it into a C-shape against one tooth and gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth until you feel pressure against the tooth.  Gently scrape the side of the tooth with the floss while pulling the floss up through the contact (between the teeth).  Repeat this method on all your teeth.   Move to a clean area of floss after each tooth. 1

What’s A Dental Emergency? Injuries to the mouth may include teeth that are knocked-out (avulsed), forced out of position and loosened (extruded), or fractured. In addition, lips, gums or cheeks are often cut or traumatized. Oral injuries are often painful and should be treated by a dentist as soon as possible. Avulsed (Knocked-Out) Teeth If a tooth is knocked out, pick it up by the crown, so as avoid damaging any of the periodontal fibers on the root surface (these are what will help reattach it once it is reimplanted). The tooth may be placed back into the socket if possible,  stored in a zip-lock bag filled with milk, or (as long as you don't swallow it) it can be stored in your mouth - between your cheek and gums. Survival rates for knocked out (avulsed) teeth drop sharply after 30 minutes. So, try to make it to your dental office within the first 30 minutes. Many parents and teachers could and should manage to push the tooth back into the socket. It doesn’t matter