Our Tinley Park dentists believe that the more our patients know about their smiles, the better equipped they are to make healthy dental decisions. That is why today we are providing a short overview of how your smile is structured, and how various parts work together.
Keep these things in mind when you are figuring out how to protect your teeth:
The inside of every tooth is filled with sensitive dental materials like nerves and soft tissues. In order to keep these permeable parts of the tooth safe, there are two dental layers that cover the dental pulp—the dentin and the dental enamel.
Dental enamel is the strongest and most durable of the dental layers—this is the hard, outer covering of the tooth. Dental enamel is resistant to damage and deterioration. Under the dental enamel is something called dentin, which is slightly more porous than enamel.
So, as you would imagine, one of the key goals of at-home and professional dental care is to keep your dental enamel as strong and healthy as possible. When you brush and floss your smile you keep harmful plaque from sitting on your smile, and infecting your enamel. Protective mouth guards, which are worn during contact and extreme sports, also help to safeguard your smile.
Gum tissues and connective tissues keep your teeth securely in your mouth. In order to keep these parts of your dental structure strong, you need to take steps to prevent gum disease and treat any existing periodontal disease in a timely fashion. Proper oral hygiene care minimizes your risk of suffering from gum disease. Our dental team also provides effective treatments for gum disease to help you take control of your smile.
Give our Orland Park dentists a call to learn more about what you can do at home and in our office in order to care for your smile. Our dental team is here to help you and give you all of the information and support that you need!