My dentist said that flouride was the only thing that could build up enamel. I've even bought a special toothpaste with a higher concentration of flouride, and also a mouthwash to use in combination with it. My teeth was in a bad condition with a very thin layer of enamel, and it seems to have worked as far as I can tell. If the dentist was misinformed then I would like to know about it though.
My understanding is, that NOTHING builds enamel. Certain things can help protect it, but if you are wearing it away (clenching teeth while sleeping or such), eventually it will disappear and your teeth won't be protected. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091128224748AASrYkd Related: "Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in the body and begins to form when humans are still embryos. Specialised cells called ameloblasts in the tooth bud make enamel by releasing calcium phosphate minerals into a protein "scaffold" that shapes them into tightly packed rods of enamel. When our teeth are fully formed, they erupt from the gums and the enamel-forming cells die off, making it impossible for our teeth to regrow new enamel later. For most animals this is not a problem, but in humans, the large amount of sugar and starch in our diet is turned into acid by bacteria living on our teeth, which slowly dissolve the enamel to make a hole in the tooth. If untreated, cavities can cause life-threatening infections in the body."
Thanks for the answer, I guess that my dentist was wrong then Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!, I'm still going to use the special toothpaste though since I believe that it protects it. I hope that scientists discover a way to recover enamel somehow, or that they can create artificial enamel. That we still have tooth problems are a shame really, it creates both social and physical problems, not to mention the economical issues, still I don't perceive that much attention is given to teeth in science (I only hear about it in commercials for toothpaste and moutwash). I read about enamel on Wikipedia and this is what it had to say about fluoride: So in essence, the enamel can't be rebuild, but it can be substituted for other crystalline structures which fills the cavities and thus protects against further acid attacks in the cavity. I guess I might have misunderstood the dentist.
I asked my dentist about this today, and here's what I got told. When a cavity forms, the first step is a loss of density. That loss of density can be detected by a dental x-ray. Where the products you're describing come in is they're loaded with calcium compounds. Although the don't stimulate the growth of new enamel, they can be adsorbed into the existing enamel. As I understand it, the adsorption of the calcium compounds replaces what is lost and can, if used correctly, and in conjunction with good oral hygeine, prevent the formation of an actual cavity. It's kind of a last opportunity.
Ok, thanks for the information. I haven't got any problems yet so I guess it is working Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
