Your Teeth are Made of THESE Three Layers
Dental Anatomy 101

Teeth are Made of THESE Three Layers

Did you know that a tooth is comprised of several different parts or layers? It’s true – our teeth aren’t the same hard & white consistency all the way through. Today, we want to familiarize you with these layers! Let’s talk TOOTH ANATOMY.

A tooth is composed of these three layers:

  1. THE ENAMEL
    The enamel is the visible, outer layer of the tooth. It’s also EXTREMELY hard – in fact, it’s the hardest substance in the human body – capable of withstanding the powerful forces of biting and chewing every day. Enamel is composed primarily of calcium phosphate minerals. But despite the enamel’s incredible strength – it does have a weakness: acid. When you consume substances like sugar or carbohydrate-rich foods, bacteria in your mouth uses this to produce these acids, which in turn destroy the minerals in your enamel. Over time, if good oral hygiene habits are not kept up or a person consumes too many of these foods or drinks, these acids will eat away at enough enamel to reach the second innermost layer of the tooth and create a hole – or a cavity. Our Burlington sedation dentist fills cavities in this stage in order to prevent further (sometimes irreversible) damage.
  2. THE DENTIN
    The dentin is the second or middle layer of the tooth, the layer directly beneath the surface enamel. The dentin is yellow-ish in colour, and is definitely not as hard as the enamel. In fact, it is nine times softer. The dentin is composed of both minerals and millions of tiny tubules, which lead to the middle layer of the tooth – the pulp. It’s important to address tooth decay especially when it has reached the dentin layer to ensure it does not travel to the middle layer.
  3. THE PULP
    The pulp is the centre layer of the tooth. It is also the softest layer, containing vital tissues composed of blood and nerves. Once tooth decay has done enough damage to penetrate through the enamel, the dentin and then to the pulp, unfortunately a root canal procedure or extraction will be necessary.

It’s quite interesting to learn about the three different layers of a tooth! It’s also important to see the dentist regularly to ensure that tooth decay isn’t damaging any of these precious layers. Prevention and early intervention are key!

If it’s been a while since you’ve last been to the dentist’s office, our friendly staff would love to see you! Call or e-mail us today to schedule a visit.

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