Tooth is made of enamel, containing hydroxyapatite, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2. Tooth enamel is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance in the body. This high mineral content gives it strength and hardness, but also brittleness. The happen of tooth decaying process is caused of enamel undergoes demineralization. The combination of mouth bacteria and sugars from foods, snacks, soft drinks, sweets and others can generate lactic acid. The acidic conditions over time in mouth cause the enamel to slowly dissolve, diffuses to Ca2+ ions and HPO42- ions. When enamel slowly dissolves, tooth cavities eventually formed and this allows more bacteria invade deeper into the tooth, which assists the tooth decay process.
The chemical equation is
Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 (s) + 8H+ (aq) --> 10 Ca2+ (aq) + 6HPO42+ (aq) + 2H2O (l)
To prevent tooth decay, we have been doing the prevention way since we were small, which is brushing teeth with toothpaste. By brushing teeth with toothpaste, fluoride, F- ions are introduced to enamel, replacing hydroxide, OH- ions in hydroxyapatite and becoming fluorapatite, Ca10(PO4)6F2. Fluoride ions replacing hydroxide ions is more resistant to acid attacks because fluorapatite is a weak base compared to hydroxyapatite.
So, we should brush our teeth everyday at least twice!!
So, we should brush our teeth everyday at least twice!!
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