Do you have persistent toothache? Does it hurt to chew? Use this handy guide to the most common types of dental pain to find out how to solve your toothache. There are few things as uniquely frustrating as a persistent toothache. When it strikes, it is often very difficult to ignore. Even if the pain …
Dentists are frequently asked questions about chipping a tooth—“Is it that big a deal? Doesn’t it depend on how big the chip is? I mean if it is just a little chip, it can’t be that bad…can it?” The answers to these questions are variations of the same theme. Yes, chipping a tooth means you …
Third molars have been referred to as “teeth of wisdom” since the Seventeenth Century and simply “wisdom teeth” since the Nineteenth Century. The third molars generally appear much later than other teeth, usually between the ages of 17 and 25 when a person reaches adulthood. It is generally thought among linguists that they are called …
The tooth consists of four layers: enamel, cementum, dentin, and pulp. The enamel, cementum, and dentin are hard and calcified, while the pulp in the center of the tooth contains nerves and blood vessels. The enamel is the outermost layer that covers the visible crown of the tooth. The enamel is not living tissue, so …
Every time you have a meal, the bacteria that naturally reside in your mouth feast on the food you eat. Just like every other living organism, these bacteria excrete waste after a meal. This waste is highly acidic and breaks down tooth enamel, causing root decay and cavities. When you hit the sack without brushing, …
The outside of your teeth is covered with enamel, a hard material that gives your tooth structure and allows it to support the strong forces that are exerted when you chew. This enamel structure is dynamic, which means that it changes during the regular course of life. During your lifetime, you will naturally lose some …
