The Anatomy of a Tooth

Your teeth are composed of four dental tissues. Three of them—enamel, dentin and cementum—are hard tissues. The fourth tissue—pulp, or the center of the tooth that contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue—is a soft, or non-calcified, tissue.

The Anatomy of a Tooth

• Enamel. Hard calcified tissue covering the dentin in the crown of tooth. Because it contains no living cells, tooth enamel cannot repair damage from decay or from wear. Only a dentist can correct these conditions.
• Anatomical Crown. The visible part of your tooth. It is normally covered by enamel.
• Gums (also called gingiva.) Soft tissues that cover and protect the roots of your teeth and cover teeth that have not yet erupted.
• Pulp Chamber.The space occupied by the pulp—the soft tissue at the center of your teeth containing nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. 
• Neck. The area where the crown joins the root.
• Dentin. That part of the tooth that is beneath enamel and cementum. It contains microscopic tubules (small hollow tubes or canals). When dentin loses its protective covering (enamel), the tubules allow heat and cold or acidic or sticky foods to stimulate the nerves and cells inside the tooth, causing sensitivity.
• Jawbone (Alveolar Bone.) The part of the jaw that surrounds the roots of the teeth.
• Root Canal. The portion of the pulp cavity inside the root of a tooth; the chamber within the root of the tooth that contains the pulp.
• Cementum. Hard connective tissue covering the tooth root, giving attachment to the periodontal ligament.
• Periodontal Ligament. A system of collagenous connective tissue fibers that connect the root of a tooth to its socket.                                                                                                            Bloch Dentistry Center specializes in a wide range of dental services including: general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, veneers, dental implants, root canals, periodontic treatments, and reconstructive dentistry.
  Call our friendly staff to schedule an appointment at (305)385-5555 or visit our website at http://www.BlochDentistry.com. We want to see you smile!

Brushing With Baking Soda?

Pros and Cons of Brushing Teeth with Baking Soda

Baking soda has long been used as an alternative to toothpaste. Many people will admit to brushing teeth with baking soda. Today, many toothpaste manufacturers incorporate baking soda into their formula. As with most things, there are pros and cons associated with using this agent as a toothpaste alternative.

Pros of Brushing Teeth with Baking Soda

• It works to help clean teeth. According to the Journal of Clinical Dentistry (June 2008), brushing teeth with baking soda products was proven more effective than using products without baking soda.
• It’s inexpensive. If you use just baking soda, a box will last you for a long time and costs less than $1.

Cons of Brushing Teeth with Baking Soda

• It’s messy. Brushing teeth with baking soda may be inexpensive, but it’s certainly not neat. Baking soda manufacturers have not mastered the handy packaging you find among most toothpastes.
• It feels gritty. Anyone who has experienced brushing teeth with baking soda will most likely comment on the unpleasant feeling of soda throughout their mouth.
• Brushing with baking soda alone will not provide you with the fluoride you need to help remineralize teeth and prevent cavities.

Skeptical of brushing your teeth with baking soda alone? If you want the cleaning benefit provided by brushing teeth with baking soda, but also want the added protection provided by a toothpaste that contains fluoride and protects against cavities, find a toothpaste that contains baking soda. There are many to choose from!

Call our friendly staff to schedule an appointment at (305)385-5555 or visit our website at http://www.BlochDentistry.com. We want to see you smile!