Discover your teeth
How these pearlescent facial features develop and are maintained in a healthy mouth
Why oral hygiene is far more important than you might think
Your teeth offer so much more than just a winning smile. Alongside your tongue and saliva, teeth are integral for mastication, which is the process of breaking down food that enters the mouth into a bolus – a chewed ball of food – fit for swallowing. Teeth are also surprisingly complex components. They are formed of many layers, are organised into various functional shapes and erupt from the gumline at structured times during our development. Teeth are supported in the mouth by the jawbone and gums, which surround and protect the lower features of each tooth. Teeth are not attached directly to the jawbone, but are linked to it via a strip of tissue known as the periodontal ligament. This ligament acts as a shock absorber for the jawbone, helping to ensure comfort when a tooth is exerting pressure on food and other teeth. The periodontal ligament is connected to a thin layer of cementum, which provides a protective outer layer for the tooth’s root. Encased within this layer, the horseshoeshaped root sits embedded in the bone, helping to keep the tooth locked in place. As well as this, the root plays host to the pulp canals – a network of blood vessels and nerves that carries nutrients and signals to the rest of the tooth. The pulp canals coalesce into a pulp chamber above the root, but in healthy teeth the pulp chamber remains unseen, as it is covered by a protective sheath. The immediate barrier surrounding the sensitive pulp is called dentin, which forms the largest bulk of the tooth. Formed of many tiny tubes, dentin is hard, but remains vulnerable to agents of decay. The outermost layer of the tooth, which forms the visible surface known as the crown that we see when looking at a healthy set of teeth, is formed of enamel. Enamel is almost entirely composed of unliving crystals containing calcium and phosphate, and in adult teeth it is the hardest substance of the body.