Chemistry of Teeth

[ed84c]

I would prefer this to be answered by a bio-chemist or chemist as I am interested in the Chemistry not the biology.

 

Firstly what are teeth made from? (plz refrain from saing 'calcium' and 'collagen', I dont know about you, bu My teeth are niether silver or slightly more reactive than magnesium).

 

Secondly Im pretty sure that tooth decay is due to the acidic output of bacterium living on the sugar in your mouth. If so what are these bacterium and is it lactic acid they produce?

[Sayonara]

Have a look at the Colgate web site, it's quite good.

[coquina]

Don't loose your apatite(s). Teeth are composed of the mineral apatite. Here is information about it from the Mineral Gallery:

http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/phosphat/apatite/apatite.htm

 

As to tooth decay, there is some good information here at the Newcastle University School of Dental Science.

 

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/dental/oralbiol/oralenv/tutorials/calciumphosphate.htm

 

Teeth, like all mineralised tissue, must be able to withstand chemical as well as physical trauma. The major chemical threat is dissolution. This is countered by using a mineral which is only sparingly soluble and by surrounding it with a solution which is supersaturated with respect to the salts which comprise the mineral. In the case of bone and the roots of teeth, this is interstitial fluid. Those parts of teeth above the gum margin are protected by saliva.

 

 

There is more information on dental caries at another page from the same site:

 

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/dental/oralbiol/oralenv/home.htm

 

"Plaque physiology

The microorganisms in dental plaque ferment carbohydrates in the host diet and produce a mixture of organic acids as by-products. The effect of these organic acids on tooth demineralisation is modulated by a variety of factors such as saliva flow rate; bicarbonate concentration, saliva concentrations of calcium and phosphate. The sum of all these effects are described by Stephan Curves.

 

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More on dental caries can be found at the web site of the UCLA School of Dentistry - here:

http://www.dent.ucla.edu/ce/caries/index.html#A4

"Factor 1. Caries is a bacterial disease

There is abundant evidence that the initiation of caries requires a relatively high proportion of mutans streptococci within dental plaque. These bacteria adhere well to the tooth surface, produce higher amounts of acid from sugars than other bacterial types, can survive better than other bacteria in an acid environment, and produce extracellular polysaccharides from sucrose. When the proportion of s. mutans in plaque is high (in the range 2-10%) a patient is at high risk for caries. When the proportion is low (less than 0.1%) the patient is at low risk. Infection with s mutans usually happens early in childhood by transmission from the mouths of parents or playmates. Because they are more acid tolerant than other bacteria, acid condition within plaque favor the survival and reproduction of mutans streptococci. Two other types of bacteria are also associated with the progression of caries through dentin. These are several species of lactobacillus, and actinomyces viscosus. These bacteria are also highly acidogenic and survive well in acid conditions.

 

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